Large Eyes Victorious
by KTstoriesandstuff
Summary: For fifteen years, Wiress and Beetee Tesla raised two children and secretly strengthened the underground rebellion of District Three. After a heartwrenching mentoring challenge during the 74th Hunger Games, they throw themselves into Mockingjay Revolution to destroy the Capitol that nearly broke them and emerge victorious in a free Panem.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Here we are: The last of the Large Eyes series. The order of the stories is as follows: Large Eyes Hoping, Large Eyes Terrified, Large Eyes Open, Large Eyes Crying, Large Eyes Loving, and Large Eyes Victorious. You don't have to read all these stories to get this gist of this one, but Team Nerds (Beeress) fans will hopefully enjoy the whole saga.

* * *

"Wiress, you can do it, honey." Beetee whispered in his wife's ear. He held her as she leaned against him sobbing thinking about her first son, Terrimax, who lived only seven minutes after his premature birth. "Wiress, honey, she's a strong girl. She can make it."

"Yes she is." Amy, the nurse hired from the Capitol said soothingly. "Mrs. Tesla, she's ready." Nodding, Wiress gripped Beetee's hand and pushed their daughter into the world. Sobs of joy racked Wiress' body as her daughter's strong cries filled the room.

"Hey, sweetie, my beautiful girl!" Beetee said happily as he gazed into the large eyes of his daughter. She gave him a small smile as she wiggled in her soft pink blanket. "Wiress, she's beautiful." He sighed.

"Estelle. My star." Wiress whispered before taking the bundle in her arms. "A sweethart like her father. Like my Beetee."

"She'll be a beautiful intelligent girl like her mother." Beetee whispered. Amy smiled at the ninteen year old holding her daughter. Unlike many Capitol young newlyweds, Wiress' eyes held wisdom beyond her years. Many Capitol parents gushed more about their child's room and baby clothes than the child itself. "I predict she invents something at three."

"No, four." Wiress replied. "Preschool."

"Well, with Panem's most prominent inventors as her parents, I am sure we will expect great things from Miss Estelle Wendy Tesla." Amy said smiling.

Two years later, Wiress and Beetee smiled thinking about that conversation as Estelle burst into the room. "Mama! Daddy! I made a nightlight! For Noah!" Estelle showed him a light-bulb wrapped in a blue ribbon. A wire was wrapped around the metal end

"Wow, that's so sweet of you!" Beetee laughed taking the two year old into his lap. He smiled at Wiress who was propped up in bed before taking her hand in his. "When Mama and Noah are sleeping, we can fix it up properly, ok?"

"When will he come, Mama?" Estelle asked looking at her mother's swollen abdomen.

"Soon." Wiress whispered after another contraction. "Estelle, honey, Miss Olivia will watch you tonight."

"Mama, I want to see Noah!" Estelle whined. Beetee chuckled.

"I know, but tomorrow, ok? Noah will be a bit stinky when he's first born." Beetee explained. Estelle squealed and plugged her nose before giggling.

"No sticking wire in Miss Olivia's makeup, huh, Daddy?" Beetee nodded supressing a laugh. Their escort was none too pleased to find wires in her makeup when Estelle decided to play an inventing game the last time she babysat the Victors' child. She watched Estelle while the Teslas greeted the newest victor during the Victory Tour.

"No inventing with Miss Olivia's makeup." Beetee said firmly as Wiress smiled.

As Beetee promised, Estelle was able to see her similarly large-eyed brother Noah Terrimax Tesla. "And when you are a big boy, you can play inventing with me and then we can help mommy and daddy!" Estelle squealed as she sat in her mother's lap holding the newborn boy. "And then, what, Mama?"

"Happily ever after." Her mother whispered smiling at her beautiful family. "My lovelies, this is happily ever after."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! And I will get to University Games for the person who asked. My brain just wants to begin wrapping up this series first :) Plus as I graduated, I guess I kinda want a break from thinking about school :)

* * *

"Estelle! Noah! Come down! Your father –" Wiress called up the stairs trailing off as a door opened.

"Dad's done with breakfast?" Noah asked poking his head out of the hallway bathroom.

"Yes." Wiress replied. "Where is –"

"I'm here, Mom!" Twelve year old Estelle Tesla called opening the door to her room. She was dressed in the white blouse, blue sweater and black skirt that made up the Engineering Academy uniform. NOAH TERRIMAX, DON'T YOU DARE!" Estelle yelped as her ten year old brother hoisted a leg onto the banister to slide down to the first floor.

"Aw _man!_" Noah groaned as his older sister glared at him. Beetee smiled as his two children ran into the dining room. Wiress smiled watching her daughter's excitement for her first year at the Academy. Beaming at Estelle with pride, she kissed her and Noah before setting plates of fruit in front of them. She smiled at Beetee who served them waffles. The Teslas ate quickly so they could see their children off to school.

"Now, Noah, you have your gear project ready to go?" Beetee asked as everyone scraped the last of their waffles off their plates. Noah nodded and pointed to a piece of plywood next to his backpack by the front door. "And your composition homework?"

"Yeah." Noah muttered.

"Let him see –" Wiress insisted giving Beetee a look.

"I remembered to tell him to work on his non-engineering homework, dear." Beetee assured his wife as Noah hurried to his backpack and pulled out his notebook. "Good work, son." Noah smiled as his father skimmed his essay.

"And you're going to Factory Four today." Beetee said smiling at Estelle.

"We're seeing how tablets are made!" Estelle explained excitedly. "Mom, will they use dad's new microchip?"

"Maybe. Estelle," Wiress began giving her daugher a serious look. Estelle nodded and restrained herself from rolling her eyes at yet another reminder.

"I know mom. Listen to the teachers, the forman, wear the safety gear…" Estelle began.

"Yes." Wiress replied satisfied that her lecture had sunk in. "Come here, sweet girl!" She wrapped her daughter in a hug and kissed her. "Noah, smart boy –" Noah hugged his mother and smiled as he received a kiss on the forehead. Beetee hugged his children and waved them off to school as they ran down the path from Victor's Village.

"Bee, I have to check on Factory Six at one –" Wiress began looking at the dishes piled in the kitchen sink.

"Yes, hon. I'll be a good house-husband today." Beetee chuckled before Wiress swatted him on the bottom with an engineering journal from the coffee table. "Come here, you." He held his wife and kissed her. Looking at the pictures on the living room, he smiled thinking about his family. "Our children have your brains alright."

"And your sweet love." Wiress whispered.

Thinking about the morning, Wiress smiled as she looked over at Factory Four out the manager's window of Factory Six. "And I'm sure your daughter will be a great inventor such as yourself, Mrs. Tesla." The production manager of Factory Six smiled.

"Thank you –" Wiress began before an explosion shook the building.

"MRS. TESLA, GET DOWN!" The manager screamed the glass above the overhead light shattered from the shockwave.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" A horrified scream made his blood run cold as Wiress stared horrified at another factory enveloped by a large fireball. The flames were slowly obscuring the lettering reading: Factory Four.

The people on the street were a blur as Wiress ran toward the inferno where she knew her daugher was inside with the other Academy students. "ESTELLE! MY ESTELLE!" The workers parted to let the frantic inventor through. Tears stung the cuts on her face as Wiress ran closer to the searing flames. "ESTELLE! ESTELLE!"

"Mom! MAMA!" A small figure collided with Wiress before her knees gave out and she fell to the sidwealk with her arms wrapped around her sobbing daughter. "Mama – we heard the sirens – we all had to run. We were the only ones that made it out."

"WIRESSS! WIRESS! LET ME THROUGH! MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE OVER THERE!" Dazed workers let Beetee through the crowd growing on the street as he ran to his family. "Oh my wires, Wiress, baby are you ok? Estelle, sweetie?" He scooped his daugher into his arms and held her. "No boo-boo's?"

"No, daddy." Estelle whispered. She looked worriedly at her mother who was curled up on the sidewalk sobbing. "Mom's still scared."

"I know, my star." Beetee whispered. "C'mon, honey." He said gently as he helped his wife to her feet before making their way to Noah's school. "We have to check on Noah."

"DADDY! DADDY! MAMA! STELLE! STELLE!" A small figure burst out the main doors of the elementary school as the Teslas turned onto the sidwalk leading to the doors.

"Everyone's ok, son." Beetee said holding his sobbing son. "Ssssh, everyone's ok." He smiled at the principal.

"I'm not going anwyere, squirt." Estelle said hugging her little brother.

"We litterally had to sit on him until you came, Mr. Tesla." She said sympathetically. "You have my permission to take him home for the day."

The Teslas were silent as they sat on the couch huddled next to each other. They sobbed knowing 300 other families weren't so lucky to have all their members safely at home. "Mom," Estelle was the first to speak up. "Dad, the conveyor belt was going really fast. The teacher said something about that."

"What did the foreman say?" Beetee asked.

"He said they had to."

"But they can't make it go faster if it's not safe." Noah argued. "We learned about factory safety last week." Beginning in fifth grade, all District Three students began learning about the manufacturing process.

"I'll be looking into it." Beetee said suddenly, his eyes narrowing.

"Beetee –" Wiress began noticing Estelle and Noah eying their father fearfully.

"NO, WIRESS!" Beetee yelled standing up and slamming his fist on the arm of the couch. "SOMEONE'S NEGLIGENCE ALMOST KILLED OUR DAUGHTER!" Wiress, Estelle, and Noah were speechless as he stomped out of the living room. The resounding slam of a door indicated he had gone down to the basement workroom.

"Bed, children." Wiress whispered. "Come." Taking their hands in hers, she led them up the stairs. Undoing braids and washing faces in the bathroom calmed Wiress and kept nightmares of losing them at bay. As long as she could wrap them in hugs and hear their voices, she knew they were ok.


	3. Chapter 3

"They took all of them - my husband, my sons -" A woman whispered through her tears. Wiress put a comforting arm around her. Sniffles were heard around the dimly lit shed where 100 factory managers were meeting with the Teslas. They knew the Capitol's demand for their products combined with the Capitol's refusal to supply the District with funds to improve the factories produced a dangerous work environment. Two weeks after the Factory Four inferno, a fire had torn through a floor of another factory killing 70 workers and injuring 50 more.

"Yes, That is why we are fighting -" Trailing off, Wiress' brain was gripped with the memory of seeing Factory Four ablaze with her daughter inside.

"The Capitol thinks it can have our way with us." Beetee said in a low voice cold with fury. "We will show them."

"If they want us to increase our TV production, we will, but at their peril." One manager spoke up. "They will find their precious flatscreens will suddenly have lower resolution."

"But won't that just make them want more?" Someone else asked concerned. "I mean, we're just fueling their consumption."

"Yes, but we will then say we are doing what we can. That making these screens at a faster rate lowers the quality. They won't know." One of the other inventors in District Three commented.

"Step one." Beetee began. "Substandard work. Step two, we make things our own way. Step three, we insist this district is run our own way."

"How long?" The woman who lost her entire family in the factory inferno six months ago asked. "More so-called accidents will happen. How long?"

"I don't know, but we must try something -" Wiress paused as she heard the sound of sirens indicating Peacekeepers were patrolling the streets.

"We must leave according to our procedure." Beetee said. People began leaving in small groups or leaving the shed individually at seemingly random times. Soon Wiress and Beetee were the last ones in the room. Looking around the shed housing supplies to make computers, they wrapped each other in a hug.

"Beetee, we musn't give up." Wiress whispered.

"I know, Wiress, baby, but this seems so daunting." He whispered. "I just want our children to be free."

"I know. Me too." Wiress sighed. "I fight to show them they don't have a hold on me. Not all the way." Nodding, Beetee held his wife closer.

"Your determination gives me courage to keep going. It always has." He whispered. They made their way home and found the house locked, kitchen appliances turned off, and everything in order. From the darkness of their children's rooms, Beetee assumed they were asleep.

"NOAH TERRIMAX TESLA!" Beetee yelped as he felt something slimy on his feet as he slipped them into his slippers by his side of the bed.

"Dad! It's a harmless polymer -" Noah explained appearing in the doorway of his parents' bedroom.

"Yes, but it's an unpleasant surprise -" Wiress began before giving her son a curious look. "How did you learn -"

"In school." Noah explained. "We were learning about plastics."

"Yes, but how did you -" Before Wiress could finish her sentence, her son darted down the hallway. She could hear him taking the stairs to the workroom two at a time. She and her husband followed their son and saw him open the door to the Tesla workroom.

"STELLE! PUT THE STUFF AWAY!" He hollered.

"NOAH! DON'T YELL! WE'LL GET IN TROUBLE!" Shaking his head at Estelle's admonishment, Beetee motioned for his wife to follow him as they investigated their children's antics.

"Estelle Wendy Tesla and Noah Terrimax Tesla, what do we have here?" Estelle gulped though her father's voice remained calm and conversational. Exchanging guilty looks, the kids continued rinsing out the beakers and tubes from their chemistry set.

"We didn't use any heating elements." Estelle explained hoping to appease her parents.

"Bed." Wiress said firmly before giving each child a quick pinch on the cheek. "Now."

"We'll clean it, I promise!" Noah pleaded.

"No. We will." Beetee said. "This shed is off limits to you two for a week." Estelle and Noah groaned as their father held up a padlock where he or Wiress could place the key and lock it with a combination. After a swat on the rear with a heavy engineering manual, Wiress sent them upstairs.

"I think the kids notice that we're out -" Wiress began before she climbed into bed.

"Late?" Beetee asked as they resumed their nighttime routine. "I know, hon. I think their little prank was a way to get back at us, I suppose." He sighed. "Wire, we have to change things. For them."

"I know." Wiress replied. "I know what the Capitol can do -" Sighing she allowed her husband to wrap her in a hug. "This is a start."

"Yes." Beetee agreed. "And we strengthen each other as we work to change things."


	4. Chapter 4

The air was thick with tension as Wiress and Beetee approached the industrial sector of District Three. "They have no choice to strike." Beetee whispered watching workers enter the buildings with their uniforms nearly in tatters.

"Some wire, sir." A small boy about eight years old approached Beetee. His clothing was in tatters and he was covered in soot. "For a quarter."

"Is this from the scrap-heap, buddy?" Beetee asked referring to the scrap heap where parts were discarded that could not be resold in various warehouses throughout the district. The boy shook his head.

"That's guarded now." He whispered. "It's from the ground."

"I'll take -" Wiress gave the boy a quarter and a nickel. She wished she could give the child a full Panem Monetary Unit, but she did not want to draw attention to her and Beetee's victor status for the boy's safety.

"Thank you, ma'am! When I'm twelve, I'll take out tesserae and won't need to sell scraps as much!" Blinking back tears, Wiress nodded and pointed to an overhang near a factory.

"You find bolts and washers. Not hot or sharp to pick up." She instructed. As the boy pattered off, she sighed. In the three years she and Beetee had been involved in the resistance, they saw the district deteriorate rapidly. Over 80% of the reaping-aged children took out tesserae. Wages had been slashed even as the average work-week increased to 60 hours. Being victors, the Teslas took in the Victor salary, and they used it to spread it across the district as much as they could. However, they had to be careful. The Capitol wanted the district citizens to see the disparity between their standard of living and the Teslas in hopes that the citizens would comply with the Capitol to earn their way to better living conditions.

"Thank you for fixing the conveyor belt." A manager said as the Teslas toured a factory. "It doesn't rattle as much, and I don't think workers will loose hands like they used to."

"Yes, it won't have to be pulled by hand at times -" Wiress began before she grimaced looking at the bloodstains on the metal floor.

"Anything to help." Beetee finished. Going into another factory, they looked at a manager's production tracking spreadsheet. "How's the system upgrade?"

"Good. Very good. Thank you for - obtaining the software for me." Beetee nodded. Requests for software upgrades or parts upgrades were sent to the Capitol and languished for months in someone's inbox until the mayor of District Three received a response. Then the factories had to wait even longer to receive the needed upgrades. In the meantime, they were expected to continue to produce goods to meet the Capitol's ever changing needs. Beetee recently began networking with someone in the Capitol to at least obtain copies of various software programs needed by the factories.

_"Attention workers of District Three!" _The factory managers, Wiress, and Beetee glanced at the loudspeaker in their office. They knew the broadcast from the mayor's office would be played in the assembly lines and the working areas of all the factories in the district. _"The Capitol has agreed to send us the needed parts to continue our production. However, this will come at a cost. Everyone will begin working 70 hours a week. With no pay. This is to ensure production efforts -" _The mayor's voice was drowned out by angry yells of workers.

"That's the rallying point. Come on!" The manager urged the victors to join him at the center of the Industrial Square which was an open space within the industrial sector.

"STRIKE! STRIKE STRIKE!" The workers chanted as more and more people filled the square. "No pay, no work, and no machines for play!" They chanted knowing this would be broadcast within the Capitol itself.

"Mama!" Wiress and Beetee exchanged glances before Wiress smacked Beetee's arm.

"I forgot Estelle had her observation hours today." Beetee muttered an apology as his wife's large eyes blazed with fury.

"Mom, what's going on? Did everyone know the mayor would announce this? This looks coordinated -" Wiress gripped Estelle's shoulders until her knuckles turned white. One look into her fifteen year old daughter's face told her that Estelle had figured it all out.

"You will get Noah from the Academy. Go straight home." She ordered.

"Mama - what about you and Dad -" Estelle pleaded as Wiress shook her head.

"You _will_ mind -" Wiress hissed hearing the sound of Peacekeepers' cars approaching the scene. "Go!"

"Go, my star, go! We'll be fine!" Beetee urged his daughter. They breathed a sigh of relief as their daughter disappeared around the corner seconds before Peacekeepers came from the other side of the square.

"We order you to disperse!" The Peacekeepers called over loudspeakers. "We order all citizens to disperse and return to their factories!"

"They will not disperse!" Beetee hollered before stepping on a platform made out of crates.

"Beetee -" Wiress gasped before her husband pulled her onto the platform.

"They will not disperse! We will not stand down!" Beetee yelled as the crowd went silent. "You treat each techological gadget like it's a toy begging for more without appreciating the minds behind it! You treat the workers like dust off your feet! WE WILL TOLERATE IT NO LONGER!" A cheer rose from the crowd even as more Peacekeepers dressed in riot gear assembled on the surrounding streets.

"Lives have been sacrificed in these factories!" Wiress yelled. "Mothers, Fathers, Children! All for what? ALL FOR WHAT? THE NEXT INVENTION THAT GETS OLD WITHIN A WEEK!" Out of the corner of Beetee's eye, he saw the Peacekeepers signaling to each other.

"WE WILL FIGHT BACK!" The Teslas yelled. It was the sign for the workers and for themselves. Wiress unsheathed a knife humming with electricity. Sliding his finger across a remote control device in his pocket, he activated an elecctrical trap where he knew Peacekeepers were standing seconds before pandamonium broke loose in the Industrial Square. Workers used improvised weapons to fight the Peacekeepers. A large squad of SWAT officers were tangled in Beetee's wire trap.

"Wiress!" Beetee gasped as his wife was pulled from his grasp by an officer seconds before a knife was driven into the weak point of the Peacekeeper's armor.

"Home! Home!" Wiress gasped. Though they knew lives would be lost, they knew their actions had reached the Capitol. The workers involved knew that risk, and they were willing to take it.

Hands trembling, Beetee unlocked the front door and opened a drawer within the coffee table. "There it is. Good job, kids." He whispered finding the key to the workroom inside.

"Both of them, Beetee - both -" Wiress asked worriedly.

"Yes, honey. Look." Beetee pointed to two sets of footprints in the kitchen. He handed Wiress the key so she could open the workshop door where her children were hiding.

"Good job, kids, good -" Wiress gasped as she was enveloped in hugs at the bottom of the stairs.

"You did everything right. Estelle and Noah." Beetee explained as he kissed his children. "We made it home safe. Let's go to sleep." That night, all four Teslas snuggled together on Beetee and Wiress' bed to block out the sounds of sirens and gunfire as the brief afternoon rebellion of the District was quelled.

"Mom? Dad?" The next morning, Wiress opened her eyes to her son gently prodding her. Sunlight was streaming in through the blinds. "I hear the TV downstairs."

"Ok, son." Beetee groaned before feeling around his nighstand for his glasses. Estelle had woken up before the rest of the family.

'MOOOOOM! DAAAD!" Her voice wafted up the stairs.

"WE'RE COMING!" Noah hollered down the stairs after running down the hallway.

"MAYOR RICHARDS SAYS THERE'S NO SCHOOL! OR WORK - OR -"

"Estelle, we're coming, you don't have to yell the entire broadcast up the stairs!" Beetee called as he and Wiress ambled down the stairs. They were too tired and worried to scold Noah who shamelessly slid down the banister. Even at age thirteen, he still clung to some childhood habits. Beetee and Wiress sat on the couch, arms around each other, with their children snuggled in their laps.

"As always with these production freezes, backpay will not be issued to workers." The mayor announced as he stood in front of the Justice Building. "Peacekeepers will patrol the streets for 24 hours, and any citizen may be questioned for suspicious activity. You are all advised to go outside for necessary business only. Imports and exports, including food, will be halted until this production freeze is lifted. This shut-down has been issued by an executive order by President Snow." Closing his eyes, Beetee sighed as he rested his head on the back of the couch. _What have we done?_ As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "Peacekeepers! Open up!"


	5. Chapter 5

"I'll get it." Beetee said firmly even as Wiress opened her mouth. "Wiress, I'll get it." Taking deep even breaths, he opened the door. "Mr. Beetee Tesla, how may I help you, sir?"

"You will be taken to the train station. Immediately." The Peacekeeper announced harshly. "Your entire family."

"I'll get our coats." Wiress said from the couch.

"Mom - we're -" Estelle looked at her pajamas.

"Might we change?" Wiress asked knowing everyone was still in their night clothes.

"You will be provided with clothes on the train. Shoes and coats only." With trembling hands, Beetee locked the door behind his family. All four held hands as they walked to the train station. The Peacekeeper motioned to the back car of a cargo train. The car looked like an ordinary boxcar except for small windows at the top. "In." Nodding, the Teslas entered the car. This car was for the technicians who were summoned to the Capitol so they could train store owners about the new technology.

"Will we get to talk to the techs?" Noah asked Beetee. In response, the Peacekeeper slammed the door closed. They were alone. Sitting on the padded wooden benches along the side of the car, the Teslas exchanged worried glances. Their car consisted of the two benches along the side of the car, a table with wooden benches attached to one wall, and a lavatory in one corner. Silence filled the car as the train began moving toward the Capitol. The Teslas knew better than to talk in case they were being watched. After a while, Wiress began humming various lullabies she sang to her children after nightmares when they were small. Allowing Estelle to curl up against her, she hummed as she stroke her daughter's hair. Beetee rested with his son's head in his lap and his arm on his shoulder.

Both Victors tensed as they felt the train ascending the underground track leading to the Capitol. A second after the train came to a halt, a Peacekeeper flung the door open. "Out!" He commanded. Beetee and Wiress had a moment's glance at five other officers before the Peacekeepers entered the train.

"No one resist!" Beetee commanded before his hands were cuffed behind his back and a blindfold wrapped around his head. He winced feeling the bridge of his glasses digging into his nose. The absence of shouts indicated his wife and children were being cuffed and blindfolded without resistance. He was marched off the train and lifted into a vehicle of some sort. Wiress was pressed into the seat next to him. He heard the Peacekeepers placing his children in seats behind him before the vehicle began moving.

After what seemed like an hour of driving, the vehicle stopped. Beetee, Wiress, and their children were heaved to their feet. From the ground, Beetee could sense they were on one the cobblestoned streets of the Capitol. "Lead them inside." The Peacekeeper who had ordered them off the train commanded his fellow officers. A door opened and Beetee felt his footsteps echoing off a tile floor. He was pulled to the left and eight other pairs of footsteps followed.

"Take their bindings off, Officer James." A voice that made Beetee's blood run cold ordered.

"Yes, Mr. President." The head peacekeeper replied. In unison, the Peacekeepers undid the Teslas' handcuffs and blindfolds. Beetee, Wiress, and their children looked around a whitewashed room with a metal table in the middle where the President sat. They were in a standard interrogation room in the basement of a Peacekeeper station near the City Center of the Capitol.

"Well, here we are. The most famous inventing family in Panem." President Snow began staring coldly into four pairs of fearful eyes. He noticed both children had inherited Wiress' large eyes. Like their mother, fear closely mingled with determination shone from their eyes. "Good afternoon, Estelle Tesla, Noah Tesla."

"Good afternoon, Mr. President." Estelle said politely shaking the leader of Panem's hand. Noah followed suit. "Do you have any idea why I requested you and your parents' presence in the Capitol?"

"No, sir." Estelle answered.

"You learn about machines in the Engineering Academy, correct?" President Snow asked.

"Yes, sir." The children answered. Wiress' heart filled with fear but swelled with pride as she watched her children address the feared dictator of their country.

"If a gear decides to spin in a way the manufacturer does not desire, what happens to the machine?"

"The machine is less efficient, sir." Estelle answered.

"And it doesn't work." Noah added. President Snow nodded and smiled at the young teens. However, it wasn't a warm smile they received from teachers in praise of their work. It was more like a leering smile of someone waiting to pounce on their prey.

"And what would the manufacturer do with said gear?"

"He or she would fix it, sir." Noah and Estelle answered in unison.

"Yes. Or toss it in a pile. To burn." The President finished. "Your parents have backed a resistance in your district. Your district is the faulty gear in Panem that must be fixed. Or burnt. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir." The teens answered in unison.

"Beetee and Wiress Tesla," President Snow addressed the two Victors. "You have both snubbed the Capitol's mercy. You both escaped the arenas in your Games. Beetee Tesla, you were free to return to your inventing after your murdered a Capitol citizen. Wiress Tesla, you chose district life over the Capitol life even after you lived six months with a prominent Capitol citizen - your first husband. You both have acted as if my lack of punishment for these things is a license for you to begin a rebellion." President Snow paused as Beetee and Wiress exchanged glances with each other. He leered into their children's eyes as they stared back resolutely. "My mercy has come to an end for you, Beetee and Wiress Tesla." The President continued severely. "Under my orders, your punishment will be carried out on both of you _and_ your two children when you return to District Three." Snapping his fingers, he rose and left the room as the Peacekeepers led the Teslas out of the interrogation room and back into a vehicle that would take them to the train station. As Beetee and Wiress held their children's hands, they said nothing, but savored this time being close to each other, knowing that soon, they may never see each other again.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to xxxBeeressxxx's suggestion, I am adding some fluff mixed in with the continued suspense in the story :D

* * *

"Stelle? Steeeeeelle!" Grinning, Noah leaned close to his sister's ear as she sighed and wiggled her feet under her covers. "ESTELLE, GET UP! YOU'RE LATE FOR SCHOOL! THEY'RE STARTING AGAIN!"

"NOAH!" Estelle screamed bolting upright. "OH MY WIRES, IT'S 9:15 - wait -" She paused staring at her clock. Various light patterns around the digital display blinked indicating the day as well as the time. She stared at the particular pattern before glaring at her brother. "NOAH TERRIMAX, IT'S SATURDAY!"

"Fooled youuuu!" Noah sang before he dodged a purple fluffy pillow while running down the hallway. "MOM! DAD! I PRANKED ESTELLE REALLY BAD!" Beetee and Wiress rolled their eyes in loving exasperation as they made breakfast in the kitchen. Beetee walked into the dining room just as he saw Noah mount the banister for the upteenth time.

"NOAH, OFF THE BANISTER!" Beetee yelped yanking his son sideways as he neared the bottom.

"Ooooow! Daaaad! You whacked - well - my - on the banister!" Noah gasped as he waddled toward the dining room table.

"I know." Beetee stated. In spite of himself, he grinned.

"Daaaaaaaaaad! Moooom!" Estelle whined as she stomped down the stairs glowering at her brother. "Did you hear what Noah did?" Her pout lasted half a second before she giggled and cuffed her brother on the side of his head. After returning from the Capitol, the family lived in fear for a week wondering what form Snow's punishment would take. It was Noah who pranked his parents by re-arranging the kitchen drawers who reminded them all that living in fear would mean the Capitol had won. For the next week, life went on in the Tesla household, and most of each day was spent in the basement workroom.

"Well, it _is_ time for breakfast -" Wiress began smiling. "Children, Beetee. Sit." Each person had a pancake and some apple slices for breakfast. As it was the second week of the district lock-down, each family was making their food supplies last as long as they could. The Teslas were saving their food supplies in case they had an opportunity to help the rest of the district. Earlier in the week, a factory manager had taken a few cans from a shallow hole near their front porch. He had given the cans to some families so they could have something other than a meager amount of tesserae grain.

"So, since you kids aren't in school, your mother and I have been talking." Beetee began. "We have developed this." Wiress unfolded a piece of notebook paper from her pocket.

"A lesson schedule!" Noah groaned. "Mo-om! Why can't we all just work in our shop?"

"Because we both know what you should learn at the -" Wiress began looking out the window where the streets and the district were eerily silent.

"At the Engineering Academy. And we don't know if the teachers will jump ahead of the lessons or begin where you two left off. At any rate, we decided you two needed some structure to your day."

"We work hard on our inventions, dad!" Estelle groaned.

"Well, wiring a circuit-board to read: 'hi mom' is creative, however, there are more productive things you can do."

"You guys are just bored!" Noah quipped grinning at his parents.

"Well -" Wiress began before blushing. Without access to new supplies, she and Beetee were quickly running out of material for their machines in the shop.

"Well, we can't do much calculus, dad." Estelle pointed out. "My calculator is at school." Smiling Beetee pulled a piece of engineering paper out of his pocket.

"Estelle, I thought we could refresh your memory on how to work equations by hand." Groaning, Estelle kicked a snickering Noah under the table before burying her face in her hands. Though she dearly loved her parents, she hoped the lock-down would end very soon.

"Wow! We're through chapter five?" Noah asked as he and his father finished a chapter in his Intro to Engineering text.

"You're making good progress son!" Beetee said beaming. "As are you, Estelle!"

"Dad, this is nuts! The equation goes on for half a page!" Estelle groaned. "I want my calculator back!"

"Estelle!" Wiress called.

"Yes, mom!" Estelle asked as her mother opened the door to the Tesla workroom.

"You can take a break -" Breathing a sigh of relief, Estelle put down her pencil. "I'm cleaning the bathrooms -"

"No, mom!" Estelle groaned. "That's gross! You'll make me clean the floors and Noah still sometimes misses!" To her satisfaction, Noah turned bright red.

"I do _not_!" He yelped as his dad chuckled.

"Well, it's that or fold the load of underwear -" Sighing, Estelle followed her mother up the stairs. Though Estelle would never admit it, there was something calming about doing chores alongside her mother who would hum as she worked. As the lock-down wore on, she and Noah both knew that studying or doing chores with their parents kept their mind off of the uncertainty to come.


	7. Chapter 7

"Noah, I swear, if you tell me you're bored one more time -" Beetee warned his son. Estelle grinned over her Intro to Technical Writing text before Noah stuck his tongue out at her from across the worktable. District Three was in their second month of lockdown, and the Tesla house was beginning to feel quite small to all its inhabitants. Though Estelle and Noah found engineering fascinating, they were getting bored of book lessons and itching for practical projects. However, the shop supply was running quite low.

"Noah, like this -" Wiress began turning her blueprint over. "Watch -" She began re-sketching Noah's circuit design.

"Mom, Dad showed me already!" He groaned. "I think my brain is mush. Because I'm _**booooored** _- mmmmmfffff -" Gagging, Noah made a face as he pulled a wad of cloth from his mouth. Unraveling the black fabric, he stared at his father's sock with horror.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" He yelped. Beetee, Wiress, and Estelle were laughing so hard, tears were streaming down their face. "I GOTTA BRUSH FOR FIVE MINUTES! THIS IS SOOOOOO **_GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSS!_**" Wiress winked at her husband as their son took the stairs three at a time to the bathroom.

"At least it will give him something else to do." Estelle quipped.

"Best. Prank. Ever." Beetee boasted grinning. "Right, sweetie?" Even as his eyes sparkled with victory, Wiress shook her head chuckling.

"He will get you back -" Wiress began. She sniffed the air. "Beetee, how long have you been wearing -" Wrinkling her nose, she gave her husband a certain look as he blushed. Estelle snickered at her parents knowing her dad was about to get in trouble.

"You said you wanted to conserve laundry soap, dear." Beetee protested before Wiress knelt down and yanked off his other shoe and sock. "Wiress!"

"You still have clean -" Wiress insisted holding the sock at arm's length. "Now, help me with -"

"The hamper, yes, I know." Beetee grumbled as he stood up.

"Mom, I'll make some noodles." Estelle announced before Wiress nodded smiling at her daughter.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the lockdown was lifted two weeks later. "Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" Estelle and Noah called before they bolted down the street.

"Hon, you know what this means?" Beetee asked smiling at his wife as he cleaned up the breakfast dishes.

"We can get more parts -" Wiress began beaming as she looked toward the door leading to the shed.

"Yes, and we have the house to ourselves for a bit." Blushing, Wiress knew what her husband meant as he winked at her under his glasses. Eventually they made their way to the surplus parts store and made decent headway in restocking the Tesla workroom.

Wiress smiled thinking about their time together as she woke up on the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games. Even though everyone got on each other's nerves toward the end of the district's lockdown, she would always treasure that family time. As she began preparing the house for her and Beetee's departure to the Capitol, she felt a sense of foreboding. Due to the attempted revolt and strike, she and Beetee knew this reaping would not turn out well for District Three.

She allowed memories of her children to flood her brain as she began making her fifteen and thirteen year olds' rooms passable. Estelle had shoved her blankets on the floor and Noah had left a trail of his pajamas leading to the bathroom. Shaking her head, Wiress reminded herself to tell them to place their clothes in their hampers later so she could sprinkle powder over the clothes that would absorb the odor until laundry was done upon her return. Going downstairs, she found the kitchen predictably empty. The bowl for breakfast rolls was half empty and a crumb trail led to the basement door. "Good morning, honey!" Beetee's voice greeted her as she opened the door. After the lockdown, Estelle and Noah were worried about the reaping, and escaped into their world of inventing. Beetee knew his children were one of the very few children in the District that didn't take out tesserae. He joined them in their world of inventing to forstall the very real possibility of mentoring his children's friends.

"Love, Kids, Two hours!" Wiress called down the stairs.

"I know, mom! Two hours before we have to get ready for the stupid reaping!" Noah called before Wiress heard what sounded like a kick. "Oooow! I won't mouth off outside, I _promise,_ Stelle! Mom! I finished it!" Laughing with joy, Wiress came downstairs and smiled at her son standing next to his father at the large worktable the Teslas all shared. Estelle was putting the finishing touches on a lamp and Noah was connecting a battery to a wire. Wiress continued working on her machine that would test the strength of thread. It would be used in the factories of District Eight. Beetee was working on testing a length of thin gold wire. Inventing together was the Teslas' most treasured family activity. All too soon, the alarm clock on the wall buzzed and flashed twice.

"Wrap up, kids." Beetee said as the four inventors climbed the stairs out of their workroom. "Did you both shower? Choose your reaping clothes? You don't want your mother fussing at you for the next hour, do you?" In response, Wiress swatted Beetee on the behind with a large paperback electrical engineering reference book.

"I do not fuss –" Wiress began before sighing at Estelle's eye-roll.

"Yes you do, Mom." Estelle corrected. "You made me change my dress three times last year."

"Yes, but with - everything -" Wiress began glancing nervously out the window toward the town square.

"With everything that has happened in the past month, we all have to make a good impression this year." Beetee finished. "If it means letting your mother fuss, well - put up with it." He was smacked with a spoon as he stood up after finishing breakfast.

"Mom, it will be ok. I'll make sure this one doesn't mouth off." Estelle quipped playfully smacking Noah on the shoulder.

"So, kids, Mrs. Jones will be over before and after her shift to check on you two. Remember the rules –" Beetee began as the family gathered at the bottom of the stairs to the second floor. Mrs. Jones had lost her sons in both Beetee and Wiress' games. Instead of begrudging the two victors, she had become like family. She watched the Tesla children while their parents mentored.

"No testing voltage, no combustion tests, no using welding tools until after you two get back." Noah recited. "Oh, and don't change the settings on yours or mom's computers for the operating system or any apps." Beetee nodded.

"And no taking from our storage bins, Noah." Beetee said looking at his son who suddenly found a spot on the living room rug interesting. "We have our reasons for putting different components in our toolboxes, and we don't want to be surprised when a piece we worked on makes its way into your projects."

"Oh yeah, and no using the stove until Mrs. Jones is here, but we can use the microwave, and eat veggies along with our easy-mac for lunch." Estelle piped up. This was the first year her parents allowed the young teenagers to have some unsupervised time during the day. Mrs. Jones would come over in the evenings and leave mid-morning.

"Yes, and no mess." Wiress added. Kissing her children, she shooed them away to tidy their rooms and dress for the reapings. She and Beetee went to their room to change. Half an hour later, Estelle came downstairs wearing a dark green dress with quarter-length sleeves. Noah wore a light blue shirt with a silver tie. He finished his outfit with tan slacks and black shoes. Beetee wore a blue shirt with a navy-blue, black, and white striped tie. His outfit was complete with black pants and shoes. Wiress wore a dark purple dress with a black blazer. "My lovely children." She whispered as she hugged her son and daughter. "I love you." Looking at his watch, Beetee nodded to his family.

"C'mon, kids, Wiress. Let's go to the town square." He announced. They chatted about their inventions until both children were signed in and sent to their sections.

"Now, District Three, aren't you all excited to be here?" Xersius cheered as he flounced around in an electric blue suit. "Happy Hunger Games!" The crowd was eerily silent. "All too tired from work? Well, lucky for you, reaping day is a day off! Now, we shall choose our next victor!" He nearly skipped over to the reaping ball. "Ladies first! Estelle Wendy Tesla!"

A collective gasp rushed through the crowd. "NO!" A girl screamed from the fifteen year olds' section. "NO! ESTELLE!"

"I'm so sorry dear, no volunteers for District Three." Xersius said as two Peacekeepers held a sobbing girl in an Engineering Academy uniform from running up to the stage. The crowd's eyes were fixed on the daughter of their two Victors who was walking to the stage with her head held high. "Yes, won't you love to see the most famous fifteen year old girl in the district compete in the Capitol?" Silence met Xersius' overly enthusiastic question. "Now, let's see who her district partner is! Oh! _OH!_" The escort was beside himself with excitement. "Well – that – this is – quite unprecedented: Noah Terrimax Tesla, please come forward! Both children of your Victors will be representing District Three in the Seventy Fourth Hunger Games!"


	8. Chapter 8

The crowd stared at Xersius in complete shocked silence for one second before their chanting filled the air. "TESLAS! TESLAS! TESLAS!" With each chant of their beloved Victor family's name, the citizens stomped and raised the district hand-sign in the air. Wiress and Beetee had a one second glance at the district standing unified in their fury of their children being reaped before the Peacekeepers shoved all four Teslas into the Justice building.

"Beetee -" Wiress gasped, her face paling as her knees gave way a second before her husband caught her in his arms.

"Kids, follow the officers to the train! Now!" Beetee commanded carrying a shaking Wiress and running behind his children. To his satisfaction, Estelle and Noah weren't showing weakness. Instead, they ran hand-in-hand with the Peacekeepers. Nodding their thanks, they hopped into the train as the Peacekeepers opened the door. "Ok, that's everyone." Beetee said as Xersius was pushed onto the train.

"Oh - oh - my - I've never had to hurry so - does my suit look wrinkled?" Xersius fussed as he sat on a poufy lime green cushion on the sunshine yellow carpet.

"YOU AND YOUR SUIT CAN GO TO HELL!" Beetee screamed. "GO TO YOUR DAMN ROOM AND DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT SAYING ONE WORD TO MY CHILDREN! **GO!**" At Beetee's dark red face and waving finger in his face, Xersius hurried into his room as fast as his three inch high-heels could carry him.

"Ryania, fix the kids the usual lunch." Beetee directed the Avox in the car. "And get the smelling salts, Wiress is out in a dead faint."

"Mama!" Estelle gasped looking at her mother's limp form in Beetee's arms.

"Dad, we can help you." Noah said approaching his father.

"Buddy, you and Stelle need to eat, ok? Wire's going to rest, but you two eat lunch. Now."

Grumbling to himself, Beetee carried his wife to the bed in their room. Opening the blinds in their window, he saw the Peacekeepers attempting to subdue the crowd. "They're going to fight for us, baby." He whispered to his wife as he settled her on the bed and stroked her face. "Please, baby, please, don't give up. Please, I need you to save our kids - Please - oh Wiress -" Dissolving into sobs, he curled up on the bed and held Wiress close.

Estelle and Noah sat at the dining room table eating silently. They watched their home pass by the windows. "Children." At their mother's whisper, they turned around. "Eating. Good." Estelle blinked back tears as she stared into her mother's large red-rimmed bloodshot eyes.

"Here." Noah offered his mother a small bread roll. "Did you make these?" Wiress gave her son a small smile.

"No - I showed Ryania -" Wiress explained before placing several small rolls on her plate. She cleared her throat and pointed at Noah who had tocked the gold embroidered napkin in the collar of his shirt. Estelle smacked him before he blushed and folded it in his lap.

"Ryania is very good at duplicating your mother's recipies." Beetee answered as he sat down heavily at the table. "Good job kids. Finish your plates."

"Ryania gave us a lot." Noah observed.

"Yes, because you will need to eat your fill at the Capitol. You're training for three days, kids -" Breaking off, Beetee blinked back tears. "To survive." He choked down a sob. "We have four hours on the train." He smiled. "I have some treats for the clean-plate club." Smiling knowing his kids remembered that from their childhood, Beetee was hopeful that he could get them through the next few days using his 'dad tricks.'

"Your turn." Beetee said handing the pair of dice to Estelle. The Teslas were in the living room playing a strategy game that Beetee and Wiress had at their house. This copy had a permanent place on the tribute train. They would play it with their tributes to gauge their skills in strategy and improvisation in addition to taking their minds off the impending Games. "Estelle, you can't move there."

"Yeah she can. It's Secret Move Three." Noah pointed out.

"Come again?" Beetee asked his son who gave his sister a horrified look.

"Estelle!" He yelped. "_You_ told me Dad explained the rules to you!"

"He did." Estelle answered in her defense, however, a blush creeped up her cheeks.

"I did explain the rules, and I believe you added a few of your own, Estelle Wendy Tesla."

"Daaaaaad, make her start over!" Noah grumbled. "I swear, if we get home, I'm reading the rules again and I _will beat you._"

"Noah Terrimax Tesla, what did you just say?" Noah and Estelle gulped at the fury in their father's voice.

"If I get home, I'm beating her at the game." Noah muttered.

"I will _not_ have that attitude, son. I don't want to hear 'if I get home' out of either of you again. Do you hear me?" Beetee asked harshly to mask the fear of loosing his children in the Games. "You're coming home. Understand?"

"Beetee -" Wiress began smiling. "Let's start again -" She arranged the board and handed each person their gamepiece.

"Aw, man! I think I got the hardest part!" Estelle groaned.

"As you are expert in the game to make new rules, I thought it would only be fair. Of course, we're going with the original rules, so you should be fine." Beetee quipped. He smiled at Wiress who was humming and finding excuses to reach across the table and hold her children's hand, straighten a collar, or brush hair out of someone's face. Allowing her to have a sense of normal family time with her children would keep her strong. His heart warmed as his wife gave him a warm smile. They would lean on each other and draw on each other's strength to save their children's lives.


	9. Chapter 9

"We're approaching the Capitol." Beetee announced. Wiress stiffened next to him before he took her hand. "Ok, kids, once we get out of the tunnel, I want you two to write down as many new inventions as you can see." He handed them each a piece of paper.

"One... Two... Three..." Wiress counted down with her husband before her children began scribbling away on their pieces of paper. Smiling, her heart warmed with a spark of confidence. Her children were showing strong skills in strategy and they were observant in a new environment as they wrote down different inventions they saw in use or advertised in the Capitol.

"Wow. You two tied! Good job." Beetee said impressed looking at his children's papers. "One more piece of candy then we're getting off the train." He said nothing as Estelle and Noah shoved their pockets full of hard candy from the dessert tray on the side table near the coffee table before eating some small chocolate bars.

"They like the candy." Wiress giggled.

"Your idea. Remember?" Beetee asked picturing a twelve-year old Wiress's eyes lighting up as he presented the dessert tray. "Ok, kids, the cameras are going to be on us as we go to the training center. Heads up, hold hands, and your mom and I will be right behind you."

"Oh! There they are! The children of the two Victors!" A Panem Weekly broadcaster cheered. "Look at their large eyes! They have their mother's eyes!" Estelle and Noah smiled and waved at the crowd that was cheering their parents' names.

"Floor three, kids." Beetee instructed as they got on the elevator. Glaring at the boy from Two who nearly stepped on Noah's toe, Beetee moved protectively in front of his wife and children.

"Hello, Three." Brutus muttered with a sneer on his face.

"Hello, Brutus." Beetee said flatly. "That's your floor, big guy. Brutus is waiting. Off you go." He said as the male tribute attempted to stare down the Tesla children.

"Cato! C'mon, you can intimidate them during training!" Brutus called. "CLOVE, OUT OF THE KITCHEN WE KNOW YOU CAN THROW STEAK KNIVES!" In spite of themselves, the Teslas laughed at Brutus' hollering as the door closed. They knew Brutus was heavily involved with training the teens at the most elite training center in District Two. For many District Two tributes, Brutus was akin to a coach they had since they were twelve. Beetee saw the father-like pride in Brutus's eyes when he spoke about his 'training center kids.' Yet unlike a true father, Brutus was fine with sending his children into the Games where they were not guaranteed to come home.

"Now, I do hope you've told your children about Remake!" Xersius chirped as he ran his fingers through his bright yellow wig.

"Yes, we are coming -" Wiress began before Xersius held up a hand.

"DO. NOT. Argue. With my wife." Beetee hissed. "Noah, I'll be helping you, buddy." He said draping his arm around his son's shoulders. "It's just one evening out of our life, kiddo."

"My star." Wiress whispered as she hugged her daughter. "Come." Taking her by the hand, Wiress led her to the female tribute Remake room. "Now, first it's a bath and scrubbing -"

"Oh -" The prep-team gasped as Wiress shooed them away from the bath.

"You may help, but she is my daughter -" Wiress smiled and gestured to the first line of bath foam. "Which scent?"

"Mmm! How come we didn't have all these at home, mom?" Estelle asked smelling the various floral scents.

"Because your father insisted they made the house smell -"

"Girly?" Estelle giggled as Wiress unbraided her hair. Sharing giggles, Estelle eased into the tub full of bubbles. Wiress began singing a song about a starfish in the tub. Though she hadn't sang it to Estelle since she was eight, Wiress felt her daughter relax as she washed her hair and scrubbed her arms and body.

"Exfoliate." Wiress explained holding up a brush with thick bristles. "Like this." She scrubbed the back of Estelle's hand before a prep-team member took the brush and began scrubbing Estelle's back.

"Ow!" Snatching the brush back from the prep-team, Wiress glared at them. "It's ok, Mama, I'll get used to it!" Wiress shook her head.

"Nails and face only. Go!" Wiress snapped at the group of Capitolites. "I've been through the process so I know - " Pausing to gaze at her daughter in the tub, Wiress glared at the prep-team. "Out!"

"Mama, do you remember making my dress for the science fair award ceremony when I was ten?" Estelle asked as Wiress began scrubbing her daughter much more gently.

"Yes. Beautiful. My beautiful girl in it." Wiress whispered before kissing her daughter on the cheek. Soon the bath was done. "Out, little star-fishie!" Wiress sang as she wrapped a robe around Estelle. "Now, wax."

"Wax?" Wiress pointed to Estelle's legs. "Mom, I just started shaving last week!"

"I know, but rules -" Wiress sighed. "Just this once, sweetie."She hoped she would be more gentle than the prep-team would, and rubbed numbing cream on Estelle's legs before she started. Once Estelle was bathed, Wiress allowed the prep-team in to do her hair and nails.

"Now the stylist wants to see her. Alone." One of the prep-team members insisted.

"Mama, I'll be ok. I promise. You did a good job." Estelle said. Wiress hugged her daughter and kissed her cheeks.

"You are beautiful without all this -" Wiress gestured to the bottles of bath cream and beauty supplies in the room. "My beautiful girl -" She was wrapped in a hug before she kissed Estelle's cheeks. "Then we go to the parade -"

"So, did dad help you?" Estelle asked after Wiress and Beetee adjusted both her and Noah's suits for the tribute parade. They looked at the metal shirts and pants that had gears attached to them.

"Yeah." Noah said. "Guess what!" Estelle raised her eyebrows. "So, I farted in the tub -"

"Noah! That's gross!" Estelle yelped. "Maybe not to thirteen-year old boys, but to me!"

"But - listen!" Noah insisted. Estelle sighed. "So, I farted in the tub, right? And I thought I would have to get a new bath because I thought maybe I stunk up the water, and so Dad said that when _he _was a tribute, he farted so hard, the tub overflowed!" In spite of the story reeking of middle-school male humor, Estelle laughed along with her brother.

"That. Is. _Gross_. Don't ever tell me that again! I don't want a mental image ever!" Their cart began moving. "Ok, remember, smile and wave!" Estelle reminded her brother who rolled his eyes at her.

"Yes, because mom and dad are watching. I know." Noah took his sister's hand and a true smile broke out on his face. Both children knew, with all their heart, that they wanted to make their parents proud.


	10. Chapter 10

Wiress took Beetee's clammy hand in hers as they climbed the stairs to the Victors' Box near Caeser Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith's commentator booth. "Do you need any water or anything, Nana? We still have time before the parade." Finnick Odair asked Mags as he helped her sit down next to Beetee. Tears came to Beetee's eyes watching Finnick caring for her like his own son had helped Wiress when she was feeling ill. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Tesla." Finnick said smiling.

"Hello." Beetee whispered around a choked-back sob. Finnick nodded somberly. "You're a lot like my son. He's a goofball most of the time, but when his mother or I need him to be there, he's there." Feeling a small gnarled hand take his, Beetee looked into Mag's sorrow-filled eyes.

"We saw the reaping. We know." Finnick whispered as Mags patted Beetee's hand. "Nana, no flirting with the other mentors, that's my job!" He said louder before blowing some kisses to random people in the Victors' box.

"Our children - " Wiress whispered gripping Beetee's hand in a death-grip.

"Will do fine." Beetee replied firmly even as the crowd began cheering for the District One tributes who had turned the corner into the City Circle. "NOAH! ESTELLE! UP HERE!" Though a small part of his brain told him that without external amplification, his children would be unable to hear his voice, his heart prompted him to lean against the railing waving frantically to his son and daughter.

"MY CHILDREN! MAMA'S UP HERE! MAMA'S HERE!" Tears of pride streamed down Wiress face as she watched Estelle standing proudly with her arm around her younger brother. As her large eyes scanned the crowd, she gave each section a smile and wave as she waved enthusiastically. Noah was also waving and smiling. The crowd quieted as President Snow rose from his seat. His words were muffled as Wiress and Beetee stared at their children who stood proudly facing their president with faces full of confidence rather than fear. Rising again, they called their children's names as the tributes rode back to the Training Center.

"MOOOOOOM! DAAAAAAAD! ESTELLE'S HITTING ME WITH A GLITTERY PILLOW AND IT'S GETTING ME GLITTERY! EEEEEEEW!" Estelle giggled wildly as each blow with her pillow showered her little brother in orange glitter. They had an hour after the Tribute Parade to change into their pajamas and relax before their mandatory viewing.

"Ok, kids, quiet down!" Beetee called through his laughter as Wiress shook her head and pulled the pillow from Estelle's grasp.

"You two be good through the program and we ordered -" Wiress began smiling.

"Ice-cream?" Estelle asked hopefully as her mother smiled. Facing forward as the seal of Panem flashed across the TV, she and Noah took their notepads and pens from their parents poised to take notes.

"They cut out -" Wiress began noticing the reaping broadcast end after Noah's name was called. She reasoned that the news network predicted that the district would be unhappy with the reaping. _Yes, they were. And you know it._

"Yes." Beetee began. "There's Finn and Mag's kids. That boy looks young."

"Yes." Wiress whispered. "Like our Noah."

"Mom! I'm thirteen!" Noah protested before his father covered his mouth.

"Take notes, son." Beetee directed. The middle districts didn't hold many notable tributes.

"Mom! She's probably the youngest tribute here." Estelle pointed out as Rue came to the stage in District Eleven.

"Yes. Twelve." Wiress whispered.

"Mom, you won at twelve." Nodding, Wiress had mixed feelings as she stared into Rue's chocolate eyes. She would never wish entry into the Hunger Games on any child, especially a twelve year old, but she know who she would choose if it came down to Rue or her daughter.

"Primrose Everdeen!" The District Twelve escort called as her face filled the large flat-screen TV. The cameras panned out to show a trembling blonde-haired small girl approaching the stage.

"Another twelve year -" Estelle began before a scream emitted from the TV.

"PRIM! PRIM!" Noticing tears streaming down Estelle's face, Wiress put an arm around her daughter as they both watched a girl in her mid to late teens frantically fighting off the Peacekeepers to approach the stage. "NO! I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"

"Whoa! Her sister volunteered!" Noah gasped. Simultaneously, the Tesla kids wrote: _Katniss Everdeen_ on their notes. They took further notes during the recap of the Parade and received hugs and kisses for standing so proudly and bravely.

"You told us to be strong, mom." Estelle whispered as Wiress held her in a tight hug and kissed her cheeks.

"And we knew you guys were watching. Along with the Engineering Academy back home." Noah explained.

"You're good kids - both of you - I'm - I couldn't ask for better." Beetee choked out before wrapping his son, daughter, and wife in a hug. They all shed a quick round of tears.

"Daddy, we can do this." Estelle whispered.

"I know, my star, my smart boy. I know." Beetee said kissing them both before sitting up to wipe his eyes. "Thank you, Gearton." Beetee said as the District Three avox tapped him on the shoulder to indicate his order was on the dining room table. Like many avoxes at the training center, Gearton was a district citizen caught in an act of rebellion against the Capitol. The Teslas knew Gearton first as a factory foreman who wrote a scathing letter to the Secretary of Technology demanding better wages and working conditions to produce electronics. "Keeping the kitchen equipment in good repair?" Beetee joked. Gearton rolled his eyes and chuckled in response. "Kids, come to the dining table with your mother and I."

"ICE-CREAM AND CAKE!" Estelle and Noah cheered looking at a heaping metal bowl of min-chocolate chip ice-cream and a meticulously frosted marble cake with circuit designs on the icing.

"Mom! Is that - is that made like your wedding cake?" Estelle gasped. Smiling, Wiress nodded. Earlier that year, she and Estelle were going through her wedding pictures, making copies and photo-editing the copies with Beetee's newly developed computer program.

"Yes, she insisted on a fancy cake - and it was a very good idea, dear." Beetee finished quickly seeing a flash of indignation in his wife's large eyes. Giggling, their children began eating a slice of cake with ice-cream. "Ok, kids, let's get down to business. Name potential allies and threats."

"The Careers we need to stay away from." Estelle pointed out. "Maybe we can help that little girl from Eleven."

"We can see if Six has inventors like they did with you guys." Noah began. "Actually, what if we convinced the Careers we could invent something for them?"

"NO!" Estelle snapped.

"'STELLE! I'm not done!"

"You're NOT getting killed in front of my face because of some ridiculous idea -"

"So you're just gonna run?" Noah asked indignantly. "What if mom and dad want us to fight?"

"Mom and dad want us back home!" Estelle yelled standing up and pounding the table.

"GUYS! Estelle - sit back down. Noah, you will _calmly_ explain your reasoning and then you will listen good and hard to what we say. Understood?" Beetee asked firmly.

"Well - the Careers wanna hunt us down, and they've won for the last few years, so maybe if they knew we could invent something cool for us, we could ally with them and then double-cross them then win."

"Hm." Beetee paused. "Ok, you let your mother and I think about that one. In the meantime, learn _both_ survival and weapons. Both of you. That's what your mother and I did. And in the afternoon tomorrow, begin scouting out alliances, ok?" He paused. "And keep an eye on that Katniss Everdeen. Whatever happens, I think she will play a key role in these Games."

"Should we be her friend?" Estelle asked.

"Just - what your heart says." Wiress said quietly. "My children, we must go to bed. No tired eyes first day of training." She smiled as her children's eyes began drooping.

"Wanna 'nother scoop of ice-cream?" Noah asked reaching for the metal bowl.

"Not now, son." Beetee chuckled as Noah yawned. Putting his arm around Noah's shoulders, he walked him down the hall. "There you are, son."

"Mama? Dad?" Estelle asked quietly as Wiress walked her toward her room. Beetee perked up as the two approached him and Noah. "Do you remember when we would all stay in your room?"

"Come, my star." Wiress whispered as the four of them made their way to the master bedroom. Beetee grabbed pillows from Noah and Estelle's rooms.

"Are you comfortable, buddy?" Beetee asked tucking a navy blue pillow under his son's head. Eyes closed, Noah nodded. A smile played on his face as his father kissed his forehead.

"There, little star." Wiress whispered placing a squishy purple pillow under Estelle's head before watching Estelle roll over and put her arm around Noah. Wiress crawled into bed next to her daughter as Beetee climbed into bed next to his son. They pulled the covers over themselves and their children as Wiress began humming a lullaby. Pushing a switch on the nightstand, Beetee turned out the lights. "Sleep, my lovely children," Wiress whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Sleep safe with us."


	11. Chapter 11

Warm breath tickled Beetee's neck as he opened his eyes. Smiling, he nuzzled his face in his son's dark hair. After reaching for his glasses, he gazed upon his sleeping family. Noah was curled up in Estelle's arms with his face against Beetee's chest. Estelle slept soundly with a slight smile on her face. Wiress had her arm around Estelle and was fast asleep. Both girls' long black hair fanned out onto their surroundings. _I wish they could stay like this the whole day._Some weekend mornings were like that. The kids would be in with their parents or they would wake up and meander into the master bedroom before crawling onto the bed to rest as a family. Sighing, Beetee knew he would have to break the peacefulness of the early morning. "Hey, Noah." He whispered as he gently rubbed his son's back. "Hey, buddy, let's get up."

"Mmm - dad - no school." Noah murmured sleepily before pressing his face against Beetee's pajama top.

"Son, we have to get breakfast." Beetee said. "I want you to eat really well before training, big guy." Noah's groaning caused Estelle to stir.

"Daddy?" Beetee's heart melted as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. "What time -"

"It's 7:00 am, my star. Come on, kids. I want you both to eat really well."

"Beetee -" Wiress murmured as Estelle moved away from her grasp to sit up. Noah was up and scooting toward the side of the bed with Beetee's hand on his back.

"Wire, baby, let's get the kids breakfast." Beetee crawled over to his wife and pressed his lips against hers. "Love, we're giving them a good start this morning."

"Ew! They're kissing!" Noah groaned before Beetee chuckled at his son making a disgusted face toward the bed. Estelle grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway. The Teslas smiled as they heard their children's giggles echoing back to their room.

"Our kids - up -" Wiress whispered smiling at her husband.

"They're up and Gearton has the meal ready." Beetee explained. Listening closely, Wiress could hear the sounds of serving utensils on plates and bowls. "Hey kids, good food choices." Inspecting their plates, Beetee was pleased to see each child had a scoop of eggs,bacon, ham, fruit, hash-browns, and a breakfast roll. Gearton poured each child a smoothie mixed with protein powder. This was the breakfast menu Beetee and Wiress had used with their tributes for the past ten years. Like their past tributes, Estelle and Noah were nervous and subdued during breakfast. However, neither of them were to the point of sobbing so hard as to not eat.

"Eat up. No one's on dish duty this morning!" Beetee announced. "Estelle, sweetie, can you pass me the creamer for my coffee?"

"Yeah, dad." Estelle responded as she finished her strip of bacon. As she lifted the creamer tin by the handle, it slipped through her greasy fingers. "Oops -" She gasped as it spilled on the floor.

"No, eat, little star." Wiress said as Estelle moved to wipe the spill with her napkin. "Estelle, Gearton - his job -" She trailed off as Gearton approached the table with a wet rag. "Thank you." After Gearton filled the kids' plates with a second round of food, Wiress and Beetee began discussing strategy.

"Ok, who can tell me what this morning's mission is?" Beetee asked.

"Um - survival and weapons?" Estelle asked.

"Yes, and observe -" Wiress began before swallowing hard.

"Observe the other kids there." Beetee said. "Bring your notebooks. Write down stuff about weapons, stuff about survival, anything you think is relevant."

"Will we see you at lunch, mom? Dad?" Noah asked. His large eyes filled with hope caused Wiress to tear up.

"Evening -" Wiress whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"And we know you both will do well." Beetee finished.

"Are you scared, mama?" Estelle asked quietly as she took her mother's hand from across the table.

"I think we're all a little nervous. You kids are probably nervous, huh." Beetee asked. His children slowly nodded. "Listen, it's ok to be nervous going down there. Your mom and I both were. But you have each other, and you both are very bright and can learn quickly. Ok?"

"Y - Yes, dad." Noah whispered before scooting to his left and wrapping his arms around his father.

"Eat. Son, my star - keep eating -" Wiress instructed before she left the table. Humming, she returned with a brush, some bobby pins, and an elastic hairband. She smiled as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair before combing it to put in a French braid. Once her braid was satisfactory, Wiress ran a brush through Noah's dark thick hair. Wiress smiled feeling his hair knowing he got it from his father.

"Mooooooom! You're using a girl's brush!" Noah finally groaned after the third time his mother combed his hair.

"My handsome son." Wiress whispered kissing his cheek.

"Ok, kids, are you stuffed?" Beetee asked watching his children swallow the last bits of food on their plates. "Good. Now get dressed and come to the living room when you're done." Noah and Estelle were wrapped in hugs before both parents straightened their tribute training uniforms.

"Wait -" Wiress began before going into the bathroom. She came out with a light blue washcloth.

"Mom - I washed - mmmmf!" Estelle mumbled before her mother wiped her face with the warm washcloth.

"Mooom!" Noah groaned as he got the same treatment.

"My children - so proud -" Wiress whispered as Xersius came out of his room to lead his tributes to the training center.

"Tell me what you leaned when you get back! Don't forget!" Beetee called as the children got into the elevator.

"My smart children - my loves -" Wiress began before smiling and waving at them before the elevator door closed. A second after an electronic ding sounded indicating the elevator's descent, Wiress dissolved into sobs as she clutched her husband.

"Wiress, sweetie - Wiress, our children will be so brave - so smart like their mother - oh - baby -" Beetee gasped as he held his wife, his tears streaming into her hair.

"They - twenty two others - six careers, Beetee -" Wiress sobbed acutely aware of each hour that brought their children closer to the arena.

"Wiress - Wiress, listen to be baby, I know. _I_ know your heart, honey. But I - I can't think about them - Wiress, I _have_ to think they will come home. I can't - I can't not - I can't imagine the alternative - I can't honey."

"You - are so strong - to train them." Gazing into large eyes that reflected grief, fear, and yet had a spark of courage and determination, Beetee nodded and kissed Wiress' cheeks.

"And you are strong too, honey. We _will_ see them through this. Together. We already are."


	12. Chapter 12

"Moooom! Daaaaaaaaad! We're baaaaaaaaaack!" Estelle and Noah called as they burst into the living room of the District Three suite. "OOPH!" They were wrapped in a hug by their father who was half laughing and half crying.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Noah asked concerned. "We trained hard."

"I just missed you, buddy." Beetee answered truthfully.

"Yes, and sponsors." Wiress began before receiving a glare from her husband. "Beetee, I want to be honest with our children -"

"So we don't have to always be strong?" Estelle finished. Nodding, Wiress beckoned them to the couch. "Mom, what's up?" her daughter asked as she and Noah stood in front of their parents.

"As always with District Three, your sponsors come from the technology sector: patent officers, the Department of Communications, the Department of Technology, and Department of Defense." Beetee explained. "They made a deal with us. They want -" A sob rose in Beetee's throat before he could continue.

"Three." Wiress whispered before taking her children's hands as tears streamed silently down her face.

"Days." Beetee finished through a sob. "Three days in the arena before they will even give you one cent of sponsor money."

"But - Dad, you're confident we can make it - or are you not?" Estelle asked ending on a harsher tone than she had wanted.

"We are, Estelle, sweetie. We are confident. It's just not fair. It's - imagine if Mr. Meyer at the Academy said he would award you fifty points per calculus problem you solved." Estelle nodded. "But imagine you had to solve three problems perfectly before he could give you the points."

"I would hack into my calculator." Noah pointed out.

"That's not the point, Noah." Estelle shot back. "Mom and dad are upset because the sponsors aren't playing fair."

"I know." Noah replied. "I was just trying to make a joke." His eyes blazed with determination and the weight of a burden no thirteen year old boy should have to bear. "That's why we _have_ to show them. We have to show them we can live for three days."

"I know - I know you can make it, son. I know both of you can." Beetee began with his voice wavering. "Kids, we just wanted you to know what all of us are up against. So we can work together." Sniffling, Wiress stood up and wrapped her children in a hug.

"You can - you can -" As if she was urging her strength into them, she gripped their shoulders. "You will - you will. Live." Beetee wrapped his family in a hug as they clung to each other before shooing the children off to change into their pajamas and shower.

Their evening progressed much like it did in their home in District Three. Instead of pouring over inventions and the children's Engineering Academy homework, the inventing family was working hard on Hunger Games preparation. All four Teslas sat around the dining room table with their notebooks. Engineering paper littered the surface as Wiress and Beetee explained various traps. After an hour, Estelle and Noah began drawing their own shelters and traps for their parents' review. Only after Gearton cleared his throat and knocked on the table did they put away their study materials for the meal that had been ready for a good half an hour before the inventors noticed.

"Mom, can you look at my -" Noah asked in between bites as he held up a drawing on engineering paper.

"Ew, Noah! Gross! You're spitting mashed potatoes everywhere!" Estelle yelped.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, son." Beetee automatically corrected.

"No one's watching, and Xersius has to eat in his room. You said so. Remember?" Noah replied as Xersius walked down the hallway toward the elevator.

"Actually, Xersius eats at the bar in the Training Center and will meet with your parents after your dinner."

"Thank you." Beetee said firmly before the elevator doors closed.

"Well, what if you're eating in the Games? Are you gonna show Panem your 'see food?'" Estelle asked sarcastically.

"No, I'm just going to show you -BBLAGH! Mooom!" Noah yelped as Wiress had wiped his mouth as soon as he stuck out his tongue to reveal his half-chewed meal.

"No teasing - eat please." She directed.

"Told you." Estelle muttered under her breath.

"You too, Estelle." Tears streamed down her eyes even as she smiled at her children dutifully clearing their plates. At meal times, she could pretend they were back home, however, the Capitol surroundings reminded her that she had a little more than a precious 48 hours with them before the 74th Hunger Games began.

"Did everyone eat their plates of food?" Beetee asked as Estelle finished her last bite of meatloaf. "Good. Your mother and I will be at a meeting. We'll be back in about an hour. Gearton, can you wipe down the table so the kids can do their homework?" Nodding Gearton cleared the table and began wiping it down.

"Missed a spot!" Noah giggled before Estelle kicked him under the table. Chuckling, Gearton rubbed Noah's nose with the washcloth. "Hey!"

"Now kids, I mean it. I'd better see a strategy plan by the time we get back." Beetee instructed as he and Wiress placed their notebooks on the table and their kids grabbed theirs.

"We'll make you proud, mom. Dad." Estelle said hoping her reassurance would take the sadness from her mother's large eyes.

"We already are. So proud." Memorizing her children's faces brightening as they began a project, Wiress took Beetee's hand. "Never forget that." She glanced toward the dining room at two figures bent over their notebooks as she headed toward the elevator and blew two kisses into the District Three suite before the doors closed.

"The Head Gamemaker has requested a meeting with you." Xersius announced as the two Victors entered the lobby of the Training Center. "He wants to discuss your children."


	13. Chapter 13

"This way, please." Xersius said as they approached the main doors of the training center.

"Shouldn't the Gamemaker be in the Training Center?" Wiress asked puzzling over why they were leaving the facility.

"He does what pleases President Snow, Mrs. Tesla." Xersius answered as he hailed a taxi and handed the driver a slip of paper. After a short drive, they arrived at the Presidential Mansion. "I will wait for you here."

The Teslas were silent as they were checked in by the secret service agents. "Don't worry, they won't harm us. Their children wouldn't like that." A cold voice said as a guard picked up her metal detector wand to begin a body scan on Beetee.

"Yes, Mr. President." The guard said before standing at attention at her station. The Teslas followed President Snow down the hallway.

"I wonder," He began without turning around. "How are your children enjoying the Capitol?"

"They enjoy seeing the inventions here, sir." Beetee replied. "Noah talked about the touchscreens in the training center for fifteen minutes before I got him to talk about his training exercises."

"And how about your daughter?" Stopping, President Snow turned around to face Wiress. "She is two years older than you were when you lived here."

"She - she is training hard, sir." Wiress managed as her eyes met President Snow's. "She is a determined smart young lady." Her voice was even. "And so is my son."

"I see." President Snow opened the door to a meeting room. "They are here, Gamemaker. You know my orders." As the door latched, the tall man in a tailored suit and pants turned around from gazing out the window. Seneca Crane looked into the face of a woman he had met when she was a young inventor and her protector who was her husband.

"Hello, Wiress. Mr. Beetee Tesla." He said softly, attempting to keep his voice steady even as he saw pain flash across Wiress' large eyes.

"Good evening, Crane." Beetee said evenly resisting the urge to crush the Gamemaker's hand as he shook it firmly. He knew with the right grip and torque, he could break the man's wrist causing him to double over where it would be easy for him to push him into the table at such an angle that the lip would hit his neck or give him a leverage point in which to break his neck. This was the man that had designed the arena Beetee's children would enter, and who held their fate in his hands.

"Your children are lovely." Wiress could hear the sincerity in Seneca's voice.

"I'm sure every year 24 youth coming to compete in your Games is a lovely sight." Beetee spat before a small hand lay on his shoulder. One warning look from a certain pair of large eyes subdued him. "Thank you, Gamemaker." He finished simply.

"You wish the odds -" Wiress began searching Seneca's face. Ever so slightly, he gave a small nod.

"Your children know how to assemble circuitry and wires?"

"Of course." Wiress replied wondering why he would ask.

"And your children can run?" Swallowing, Beetee nodded as his throat tightened imagining the horrors known as mutts chasing after his children.

"President Snow has advised me on this: One and Two will go for your children first."

"No -" Wiress gasped before falling to her knees. "Please - no - "

"It was I who pleaded with him to warn you." Senaca's voice dropped to a whisper as he knelt by Wiress and Beetee who was kneeling on the floor with his arms around his wife. "Tell your children this: Look where they stand. They could be standing on victory."

"They could be standing on victory." Beetee said slowly in the cab back. "Wire - Wire, what do you think -" Shaking her head, Wiress continued humming and whispering to herself under her breath.

"Not - yet -" Wordlessly, the Teslas exited the cab and entered the elevator. Gasping, Wiress grasped Beetee's hands as they ascended the elevator.

"Wiress - Wire - sweetie, what's wrong?" Beetee asked as Wiress began trembling. Gently pulling her into the district suite, he took her hands in his. "Wiress, sweetie, what is it?" Tears streamed down his eyes as he stared at his wife who seemed paralyzed by her own thoughts.

"Mine - mine -" She gasped.

"Our children yes -" Holding Wiress, Beetee attempted to calm her down. "I know, sweetie."

"Mine - Beetee - mine -" Suddenly Beetee gasped putting the pieces of his wife's thoughts together.

"The mines around the cornucopia." Beetee gasped before Wiress wraped him in a hug sobbing.

"Mama? Stelle, she's crying, c'mon!" A small voice called before two sets of smaller arms encircled Beetee and Wiress as Wiress sobs began subsiding.

"What happened?" Estelle asked shakily. "What happened to mom?"

"She just figured out how to get you two home."


	14. Chapter 14

Three sets of eyes were glued to a piece of engineering paper as Wiress hummed as she sketched and wrote notes and equations. The Teslas had been huddled around the dining room table for half an hour. "Look, my children. These are possible configurations -"

"Of the mines around your starting platforms." Beetee finished. "Take very good notes as we explain things." Smiling at Wiress, he allowed her to do most of the teaching.

As Wiress explained things, her heart swelled with pride and hope. "Now, children, not a word. Estelle - Noah - listen to me." Gazing into two pairs of large eyes, she reached across the table and held their hands until her knuckles turned white. "My children - do not tell -"

"Until the right time." Beetee finished. Looking at the clock near the window, he began putting pens, pencils, and calculators away.

"Daddy, how will we know when it's the right time?" Estelle asked quietly.

"That's your job to find out tomorrow." Beetee explained. "Feel out the other tributes, and of course, train hard. I want you both to focus on weapons and survival again."

"Not on how to do our -" Noah began before his mother shook her head.

"No." Wiress insisted. "Your plan is later." Smiling, she hugged her children and kissed them on the forehead. "No more inventing tonight. Bed."

"Yes, and since you only have two more days of training, I think you should -" Looking at his children in their pajamas as they yawned and cuddled with their mother, Beetee's voice broke. "Oh, who am I kidding, come with us, my children. Brush teeth while we change, ok?"

"Yes, dad." The Tesla children chorused before they went to their rooms which were untouched except for their closets and their bathrooms.

"Let me tuck you in, my sweet brilliant children." Beetee whispered as he and Wiress tucked their children into their large bed. "Mama and daddy are right here." As he watched his children sleep, he and Wiress clasped hands over the blankets with their arms around their children.

"Mama is so proud." Wiress whispered as Estelle and Noah's breathing became slow and even. "Mama loves you. So much. Come home."

After sending her children off to training the next morning, Wiress looked up from her drawing as her husband paced the the living room as he had been doing for the past two hours. "Beetee -" She whispered. "Beetee - sit - please - Their exams -"

"Are tomorrow, yes, but they have to learn so much." He replied tersely.

"Alliances, Beetee." Wiress suggested as Beetee sighed and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I _know_, Wiress, but we can't depend on that! One and Two are going after them, and they need to run! Then what? Meet up with the other non-careers somewhere in the arena hoping no one comes after them after they build their traps?" Seeing his wife's large eyes brim with tears, he regretted his outburst. "Wire, I know, sweetie. I know you're working on a plan. I am too."

"Beetee - sit -" Wiress buried her face in Beetee's shirt as he plopped onto the couch next to her. "I - traps - but -" Her words dissolved into sobs. "The odds - are not -" As she felt her husband's body shake with sobs while she cried for her children, she realized they needed this time to cry. They could hold each other and shed their tears in the privacy of their District Suite so they could be strong during the Games. "Cry - Cry now."

"Now?" Beetee whispered before Wiress nodded. "We'll be crying for a while, dear."

"No." Placing her hand on his cheek, Wiress turned Beetee's face toward hers. "We must stay strong. In the - mentor room."

"What's the point, Wiress?" Beetee asked dejectedly. "Everything we ever did that we thought would help - our children ended up here anyway."

"They want us to break. To give up." Wiress whispered. "No." She said forcefully. "We will show them -"

"My brave Wiress, my brave sweet mother of our courageous and smart children." Beetee whispered as he held his wife close. "I know."

"We're baaack!" Wiress' eyes lit up as her son called into the District Suite. "Mom! Dad! Aaaaah! Mooooooom! Gerrroffme!" He gasped as he was smothered in a hug before having his hair touselled and his forehead and cheeks kissed. Estelle grinned at him from her father's arms as she received the same treatment.

"Dad, we got to talk to some of the other kids!" Estelle began as her father smiled at her.

"Tell us at dinner, sweetie. You and Noah shower and change. Gearton's about to bring dinner out." Beetee coaxed knowing they could go over strategy at dinner. He wanted to make use of every minute they had to ensure his children ate and slept well.

"Hey dad, did you ever tell Gearton about when you made spinach and cheese surprise and it looked like boogers?" Noah asked grinning as his father blushed.

"I didn't plan on that, no. Chop chop, kids, go on!" Beetee replied red-faced seeing Gearton chuckling silently as he dusted another section of the living room. Soon the Teslas were gathered at the dining room table enjoying a sort of lamb and plum soup along with a roast.

"So, tell me about the other kids." Beetee instructed after the children had devoured their first bowls of soup.

"Katniss and Rue are friends." Estelle began. "Actually, Katniss sorta adopted Rue as her sister. She let her train with her and her district partner Peeta."

"Good. Did you discuss -" Wiress asked gazing into her daughter's face.

"An alliance?" Noah asked. "I dunno. Actually, I saw Peeta trying to talk to the Careers while Katniss taught Rue stuff. I helped Russ from Ten build a crutch for himself since he'll need it in the arena."

"That's the kid with the bad leg." Estelle added. "Actually, I saw -" her observation was cut short as Noah kicked her under the table. "Noah! Stop! Ow!"

"I'm wearing my slippers!" Noah yelped.

"What, my star?" Wiress coaxed gently. She gulped as her children exchanged glances. "We're your mentors, honey. You can tell -"

"Estelle Wendy Tesla, now is _not_ the time to hide things from us. Same to you, Noah Terrimax." Beetee reprimanded knowing his children were hiding something and fearing the worst.

"Two - I mean - Cato kept watching Noah." Estelle blurted out as her father's face drained of color. "I - I mean - I dunno - curiously - Noah - Noah's good at knives decent with light spears - and of course survival and traps."

"What did the other Careers do?" Beetee asked shakily. "Are they watching you?" Estelle shrugged. "Estelle and Noah, are they watching you or not?" He snapped pounding his fist on the table.

"Beetee -" Wiress gasped. "Beetee - calm -"

"Well, dammit, I want to know if the kids think the careers have it out for them, Wiress!"

"Dad - Daddy - I dunno." Estelle stammered. "We're concentrating on our skills. We're watching everyone else too, but I don't get that sense."

"Neither do I. Honest." Noah said pleadingly as his father stared hard at them both. Spitting on his hand, he offered it to his father. "I'll even spit on it, dad."

"Ok." Beetee replied heavily reaching for his son's hand even as Estelle squealed about it being covered in spit. "I believe you, kids. I - I just worry about you."

"We know, dad." Noah replied. "Stelle and I use the force to make sure you two calm down."

"We're your parents. We will always -" Wiress added before reaching across the table and stroking her children's cheeks. "Always wonder - always worry - because - I - we - always love."

"I know, mama. I know." Estelle whispered smiling.

"Well, I'm glad you two got a feel for the kids that will be with you in the arena." Beetee added. "Finish eating and we'll discuss trap building and some physics for the weapons bit, ok?"

"Yes, dad." The Tesla children chorused.

"Then early to bed. Test day tomorrow." Wiress instructed. "Eat up. Then dessert."


	15. Chapter 15

"Today - your exams -" Wiress began watching her two children eat breakfast. "Traps?" The children nodded.

"I'm doing a survival and trap mix." Estelle explained. "I'll start out with -"

"Estelle eat. Hand me -" Wiress took her daughter's notebook. Nodding at Beetee who had Noah's notebook, they began marking up their children's drawings and writing notes.

"Dad? You showed us already!" Noah yelped. He and Estelle went to bed three hours after dinner shortly after their parents began bickering about how much longer the children should be awake.

"Hurry up and eat, Noah. No talking. Both of you. I mean it." Beetee commanded as he scribbled in his son's notebook. After the children finished their compulsory two plates of food, they joined their parents in the living room. They spent half an hour going over their traps.

"Now, children, remember -" Wiress began as she straightened her children's uniforms. "Head high, stand straight, look at the Gamemakers as you state your name -" She paused to gaze into each child's face. "My Estelle, my Noah -" She whispered before hugging them both. "Remember - remember - I am proud - your father - so proud - You remember - ok?"

"Yes, mama." Estelle whispered. "Mama, dad, I know you are both proud of us. Always."

"I'm working hard because I know you are working hard. Doing whatever you guys are doing, mom and dad." Noah replied before his father pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheeks. Estelle received the same treatment.

"You're smart kids. And no matter what score you get, you two both will have 100% in our mind, ok?" Beetee asked. "Now go down there and show them what you got!" He smiled at his children eagerly waving back at him as they walked to the elevator.

_"Wiress Carpenter." Atala announced through the loudspeaker in the Tributes' waiting room. Wiress waved at her District Six allies before entering the room. Spotting the throwing knives, she threw several at various intervals. Pausing to smile at the Gamemakers, she went to the survival stations and busied herself with building a fire, a shelter, and hoisting a bag of supplies to a tree. As she tugged at the vine holding her bag to the branch, another vine attached to the bag pulled on sticks in the fire launching a burning stick out of the fireplace before another tug on the vine pulled on a post in her shelter collapsing it. The camp was an elaborate trap. Wiress curtseyed as the Gamemakers quietly applauded. _

"Oh, Wendy, Max, Terrin, Lock - Taylor - please - please -" Wiress pleaded through The Force as she closed her eyes knowing her children were in their individual training sessions. "Please help my children, please." Reaching over to Beetee, she grasped his clammy hand.

"Wiress, I know they can do it, _I know,_ but if they get scored low - I - I don't know, Wiress -"

"We trained them with -" Tears brimming from her eyes, Wiress placed her hand over her husband's heart. "All. With all our heart."

"I know, baby, I know." After a quick cry in each other's arms, the Teslas heard their children as the elevator doors opened.

"Yeah! All the components of my trap worked!" Noah cheered before Beetee ran to him in three large bounds and wrapped him in a hug laughing and crying. "Dad -"

"I'm so proud of you, buddy! I'm so proud!" Noah held his father who cried onto his shoulder.

"Mama! I did it!" Wiress laughed and cried tears of relief along with her daughter. "Mama, I think they smiled at me!"

"Yes - my beautiful girl - how could they not?" Wiress gasped before gazing into her daughter's large eyes before kissing her cheeks. "My children - change and then -" Nodding at Beetee, she smiled as he brought their strategy game to the dining room table.

"Yaaaay! Game time!" Noah and Estelle cheered.

"Beetee -" A strangled whisper broke the silence as national anthem played.

"Shhh." Beetee hissed as he grasped his wife's hand in a white knuckled grip.

"Mama, it's ok." Noah soothed. Beetee's heart twisted watching his son tenderly take his mother's hand. Noah knew when to be gentle with his mother and sister even though he usually acted like a goof. Beetee pleaded with The Force to prevent the Games from turning his sweet little boy into a brutal killer.

"District Three, the children of two Victors! Let's see how they did! Noah Terrimax Tesla - five!"

"Oh, buddy, good job!" Beetee gasped as he wrapped his son in a hug.

"Estelle Wendy Tesla: Four. Not bad for non-careers. That must mean they showed their smarts to the Gamemakers -" Caesar's words were lost in sobs as Wiress and Beetee wrapped their children in hugs and cried in relief and out of pride for their children.

"Proud - so proud -" Wiress whispered.

"Ok, well, tomorrow is interview training." Beetee said finally after Wiress was done hugging their children.

"So, no farting on TV?" Noah asked grinning.

"No, buddy." Beetee laughed. "You know that."

"Yeah, well, I can still do this -" Noah lifted his arm to put his hand in his armpit to simulate farting noises before he yelped. "STELLE!"

"GOTCHA FART-FACE!" Estelle squealed tickling her brother under one then both armpits.

"MOOOOOOM! DAAAAAAAAAD!" Noah squealed as he rolled off the couch onto the floor before Estelle jumped on top of him. Watching her children playing, Wiress laughed until tears streamed down her face. At Beetee's word, Estelle and Noah raced each other to their parents' bedroom.

"Sleep in. Interview training only tomorrow." Wiress whispered as she and Beetee pulled the covers over their children. She and Beetee stroked their sleeping children's faces and nuzzled their faces against them until the wee hours of the morning.

"No matter what, I know they are strong." Beetee whispered as he and Wiress fell asleep with their hands clasped over Estelle and Noah's sleeping forms.


	16. Chapter 16

Layers of silver shimmery fabric fell in thin sheets to create Estelle's sleeveless dress that had a round neck. A silk shawl the color of a green circuit board was around her shoulders. Her hair was braided with copper and gold wires through her hair. To complete her look, her stylist had ordered her makeup to bring out her large eyes so her resemblance to her mother was apparent to the crowd. Next to her, Noah sat tall in his chair wearing a dark suit and tie. Gold fibers in his suit gave the appearance that his clothing was humming with electricity. As he sat in concentration listening to the other tributes' interviews, his resemblance to his father was stunning. "So lovely." Wiress whispered in the front row of Caesar's audience as she took Beetee's hand.

"That's my boy. That's our girl." Beetee whispered beaming at them even as tears coursed down his cheeks. Cato Harrison finished his predictable bloodlust laden interview as the crowd applauded.

"And now, for District Three, I present Estelle Wendy Tesla, daughter of Victors Beetee and Wiress Tesla!" The crowd applauded as Estelle rose to her feet and curtseyed gracefully. "Now, Miss Tesla, what is your favorite thing about the Capitol?"

"I love seeing all the inventions Mom and Dad made here!" She gushed. "It's one thing to study them at the Academy and another to see them in person."

"Very good. Speaking about your parents, how do you like having them as your mentors?"

"I want to make them proud." As her tears blurrred her vision, Wiress caught a glimpse of her daughter staring directly at her. "Mom, Dad, you've taught me so much and you're both the most brilliant people in Panem. I will make you proud! I love you."

"And how do you like being a tribute with your brother?" Caesar asked.

"He still teases me like he does at home." Estelle answered before the crowd chuckled. "But I have his back. We've invented together as a family, and we are going to enter the arena as a family." Turning toward her brother she grinned. "Love you, squirt!" After the buzzer sounded, Estelle stood up and curtseyed once again.

"That's our girl, that's our girl!" Beetee called as he applauded with the crowd.

"Next up, Noah Terrimax Tesla." Caesar called as Noah stood up and bowed. "Now, I'll ask you the same questions I asked your sister. What do you like about the Capitol?"

"No chores in our apartment." Noah quipped as everyone laughed. "I like seeing Mom and Dad's inventions too!"

"How do you feel about them as your mentors?" Caesar asked gazing into large eyes that showed determination.

"Well, they gave us three hours of homework every night!" Noah quipped. "But we know about inventing in the arena. And we plan to use it." He said forcefully. "Mom, Dad, like Stelle said, we'll make you proud! I love you!" Caesar smiled as Noah looked lovingly at his parents in the crowd.

"How do you feel about entering the Games with your sister?"

"I'm small, but I'll protect her." Noah said. "District Three has determination and brains, so don't mess with us." The buzzer sounded as Noah stood up, shook hands with Caesar, and bowed.

"There you have it! The Victors' children from District Three!"

"This is the best ice-cream ever!" Noah gasped as he served himself another heaping spoonful before licking the serving spoon. After the interviews, the children returned to the District Suite to find their parents waiting for them.

"I thought we'd have to say goodbye after the interview." Estelle said as she ate her ice-cream a bit more daintily than her brother.

"Yeah." Noah said before belching. "Who did you bribe, dad?"

"No one." Wiress said. "As we're your parents, they allowed -" She broke off as she took their hands.

"Finish your cocoa, kids." Beetee instructed as his children eagerly drank their hot cocoa. As they finished their cake and ice-cream, their eyes began drooping out of genuine tiredness and from the sleeping powder Beetee added to their drinks.

"Brush teeth." Wiress instructed as she led her children down the hallway. Standing by them in the master bathroom, she unbraided Estelle's hair and combed it before combing Noah's hair. She and Beetee fluffed the pillows on their bed and pulled back the covers before Noah and Estelle crawled into bed. "We can tuck you in. Once more." She whispered as Estelle curled up around Noah.

"Mama, I love you. So much." Estelle whispered.

"Sweet girl, I know. I love you." Wiress whispered as she kissed Estelle's cheek.

"Mom, I love you." Noah murmured as his mother kissed him on the forehead.

"My star. My bright beautiful star, Estelle. Daddy loves you." Beetee whispered as he kissed his daughter. "Hey, buddy." He said to his son whose eyes fluttered open. "I'm so proud of you, kiddo. I love you, Noah."

"Love you, dad." Noah whispered as his father kissed him goodnight. The Teslas curled around their children and memorized the way their sleeping forms rested on the bed until they too fell asleep.

A soft buzzing noise filled the room. "Wire, come on. Get up."

"Beetee -" Beetee's eyes watered at the teary sound of his wife's voice.

"Wire, they won't hear us get up. We have to go downstairs."

"Oh - Bee -" Coming around to Wiress' side of the bed, Beetee sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her as she cried.

"Ssssh, baby, they'll be ok. We've taught them everything they need." Beetee paused as he stared at his children peacefully sleeping. "We'll see them later -" His voice broke as his body shook with silent sobs. After wiping his eyes on his sleeve, he kissed his children once more before slowly stepping out of the room. His wife followed. They dressed in silence and boarded the elevator to the Mentor Control room.

Predictably, the Career mentors from One and Two were gathered around their screens eagerly awaiting the bloodbath. Finnick had settled Mags into her seat and was returning with a glass of water as the Teslas entered the room. "Well, I reckon we have an interesting game coming from Twelve. 'Course, Haymitch ain't been sober, so I dunno -" The mentor from District Ten was talking to Finnick before the doors opened again.

"Haymitch knows." The mentors turned as Haymitch Abernathy stumbled into the control room. "Stop lookin' at me! This is only my second." He walked over to Beetee and Wiress' station. "Hey." He whispered.

"Hi." Beetee said flatly.

"Listen - my boy pulled some strings last night at the interview, yeah?"

"If you're going to brag about sponsor money -" Beetee began with his teeth gritted.

"Hey - I'm not pulling your wire, Tesla. If something happens to my two, I'll give you two the extra money, ok?"

"Thank you." Wiress whispered as tears came to her eyes.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry, smart girl." Seeder whispered as she wrapped her arms around Wiress. When Wiress was first mentoring, Seeder had taken her under her wing. "Little Rue's our baby-girl of a tribute and she grew on Chaff and I fast, so I can't imagine - You're gonna be strong. I know it."

"Attention please, Districts One, Two, Three, and Twelve report to the Gamemaker Room." Seneca Crane's voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "Districts One, Two, Three and Twelve." Shakily, Wiress stood up. She and Beetee grasped hands as they made their way with five other mentors. An Avox led them to a conference room within the Gamemaker Control area. Their shoes echoed on the marble floor and mahogany walls. A sturdy oval oak table was surrounded by eight black leather office chairs. Seneca Crane stood at the head of the table.

"Good morning. Happy Hunger Games to you." Seneca Crane announced staring evenly at the group.

"Happy Hunger Games, Head Gamemaker." Everyone answered.

"I have called you in because I believe your districts will benefit from a rule change that will be instituted sometime during the Games."

"Rule change -" Haymitch muttered before unscrewing the cap to his flask. Raising the metal container to his lips, he stopped himself. "Ah - sorry, Gamemaker." He muttered.

"Yes, the rule change is this: If two tributes from the same district remain at the end of the Games, both tributes will be declared victors."

"Oh -" Wiress gasped covering her mouth as Beetee wrapped his arms around her.

"Yes, Mrs. Tesla." Seneca said quietly. "This means both your children may win. I must warn you," He continued in a stronger voice. "Everyone in the room is sworn to secrecy. If anyone tells the other mentors about this rule change, their tributes will be punished. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Head Gamemaker." The mentors chorused. Seneca Crane smiled.

"Very well. In an hour, the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games will begin."


	17. Chapter 17

"All mentor stations are live!" Plutarch Heavensbee announced as he glanced at his tablet PC while walking around the Mentor room. Wiress looked at the black clip on Heavensbee's shirt collar that was a small microphone transmitting his voice to Seneca Crane who was undoubtably in the Gamemaker Control room. "All tributes have entered their launch-pads." Hands trembling, Wiress grasped Beetee's clammy hand. Her large eyes focused on her husband's pale face as he bit his lip to keep himself from crying out in terror for his children. "Tributes have started the ascent."

_Sixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight..._Claudius Templesmith's voice began counting down as the mentors focused on the large viewing screen in the front of the room. Beetee glanced at his son and daughter who were on adjacent plates. To Estelle's right was a girl from Five. Cato was on Noah's left. "Run, buddy, my star. Just run, kids." He whispered in a strangled voice.

"Oh, my children, be strong." Wiress whispered. Ten..._ Nine... eight... seven... six... five... four...three... two... one... "OH MY WIRES! NOOO!" _Watching helpless, Wiress saw her daughter reach for a backpack before the girl from Five delivered a blow to her shoulders with an axe. "NOO! STELLE! MY STELLE!"

"NOAH TERRIMAX, GET OUT OF THERE, NOW!" Beetee screamed as his son grabbed a backpack before running back to Estelle. Tears streamed down his face as he watched his son drag his sister's broken body away from the bloodbath.

"Stelle, Stelle, get up!" Noah urged as blood poured from Estelle's back. "Please, Please!"

"That's it, baby, stand up." Wiress whimpered watching her daughter slowly get to her feet. Grabbing a backpack from a fallen tribute, Estelle hobbled away as Noah pulled her further into the arena. Too soon, Estelle fell to the ground again.

"STELLE!" Noah gasped seeing a knife in Estelle's side. Reacting quickly, Noah blocked another knife with her backpack. "Stelle - no - wake up - wake up, please, Stelle!" Tears poured from his eyes as he gazed into his sister's pale face as her large eyes lost their focus.

"Mama -" Estelle whispered.

"Oh - baby -" Wiress sobbed as Beetee wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug as sobs racked his body.

"Mama - dad - I - love -" She choked out as blood trickled from her mouth.

"No - Stelle - please -" Noah pleaded through tears streaming freely down his face.

"Noah -" Estelle whispered locking her large eyes onto his. "Win. For mom - and dad. Love - you."

"I love you, Stelle." Noah whispered as he cradled his sister's head and neck in his arms before she went limp in his grasp. "No - NOOOO - MAMA! DAD! PLEASE! _DAD! MOM! PLEASE HELP ME, STELLE'S NOT MOVING, **PLEASE!**_" Turning his head away from the screen, Beetee screamed in anger at the sound of his son's grief-laden wails for help and at the sight of his daughter's lifeless form. Small hands prodded him before he turned around to look at his wife.

"Noah - " She whispered as their son peeled Estelle's coat off her body with trembling hands. He took her backpack along with his and began sprinting toward the trees even as he was overcome with sobs.

He ran for a good hour before finally collapsing near a tree, falling to his knees and wailing with his face in his hands. "Stelle?" He whispered after what seemed like an eternity.

"Use The Force." Wiress whispered, her throat raw from crying with her son. "She's in the Force now, sweetie -" Her voice broke as she began crying again.

"Stelle, are you -" Noah gasped as he reached into her bag. "Thank you." Pulling a small toolkit of a screwdriver, some nails, screws, bolts, and wire out of the bag, he held it to his chest. "You're watching out for me, huh, sis." Looking around for some berries, he examined one with great care before determining that it was a wild grape.

"Keep moving, buddy. Please." Beetee pleaded as he watched his son walk through the arena. Eventually, he found a stream where he filled a small water container. Putting iodine drops in his water, he let it sit for the required amount of time before drinking it slowly. He began examining his and Estelle's backpack before making a campsite.

"Look -" Wiress whispered as she watched Noah use a mirror to direct rays of sun to a pile of dried twigs and leaves to start a fire. "Smart boy - our smart Noah."

"I know." Beetee whispered before checking his tablet before cursing. "WIRES!" His exclamation startled Wiress. "I'm sorry, baby, I - I keep checking yours and my tablets for our Stelle -"

"Beetee -" Wiress choked back a sob. "Oh - Beetee - I know -" As night fell, she allowed her husband to hold her as she held his hands knowing the results of the bloodbath would be shown in the sky. As the national anthem played, they watched as Noah got to his feet. Wiress' heart swelled with pride and sorrow as Noah whispered his sister's name and held his hand in the district sign for her. Tears streamed down his face as her face appeared in the sky.

"My boy - he's showing them - that's my boy." Beetee whispered. "He has your strength."

"Your bravery -" Wiress whispered. "Our Estelle - free." Nodding, Beetee kissed his fingers and gave his daughter the district sign. "I love you, my Estelle. Wherever you are in The Force. Daddy is so _so_ proud -"

"Mama is so proud too." Wiress whispered as the tears came again. "We will fight for you."


	18. Chapter 18

Noah curled up in his sleeping bag and curled around Estelle's coat as the sun went down. Thinking about Estelle, he smiled remembering their antics around the house and their days walking home from the Engineering Academy chatting about their classes and formulating plans on how to weasel the answers to their homework out of their parents. At some point, hiis reminiscing turned into dreams which were interrupted by the snap of a branch. Gasping, Noah sat up trembling. Gripping his knife, he reached for his night-vision glasses. Hands trembling, he slipped them over his eyes and looked at a rustling bush. "You're not - them." A fearful whisper breathed before a small girl stepped out from behind the bush. From her stature and bushy hair, Noah identified her as Rue from District Eleven.

"The Careers? No." Noah muttered as he re-sheathed his knife. "Um - did you need anything?" Shaking her head, Rue scampered away.

"That's my boy." Beetee whispered watching the exchange. "That's my sweet boy."

"Yes, but -" Wiress began sighing.

"He has to kill to come home to us." Beetee replied, his voice constricting. "I - I don't know if he can, baby, and - I want my boy to be innocent, but I want him to come -"

"Home." Tears streamed down Wiress' face. "He will." She said after a moment. "Like that." They watched as Noah built at trap near the riverbank that gently sloped down to the water. Wiress smiled listening to her son hum a tune as he worked. "Bed, sweetie." As if Noah was coaxed back to bed by his mother humming a lullaby from the mentor room, he returned to his sleeping bag and snuggled against Estelle's jacket.

"You had to invent something before you went to bed, didn't you, buddy." Beetee remarked knowing tinkering with inventions in the middle of the night after a nightmare or being startled was a Tesla trait.

The Teslas were listless as they watched their son wander the arena the next day. Every so often, he would build a trap. A squirrel was his first victim as well as his first meal in the arena. "My lunch has boogers!" Noah quipped as he shoved a blade of grass up the dead squirrel's nose.

"Just eat it, my silly boy." Beetee chuckled as Wiress shook her head. As Noah lay down for the second night in the arena, Wiress yawned. "Hon, I can take the night watch. You sleep."

"Beetee - what - if -" Wiress stammered as her large eyes teared up once more.

"I'll get you if I think our boy needs help, baby." Nodding, Wiress headed back to the District Three compartment. As she lay on two cots pushed together, sobs racked her body. Pressing her face into Beetee's pillow, she remembered how Estelle felt next to her as all four Teslas slept in the master bedroom in the District Three suite. "Wiress, honey -"

"Beetee - " Sitting on the edge of the bed, Beetee stroked Wiress' hair.

"Finnick's watching the screen for us. His girl is with the Careers." Beetee explained. "I - I figured I was needed in here -" His voice broke as he lay down and didn't feel his son next to him. "Oh, Wiress -"

"Strong - " Wiress whispered after a while. "We need -"

"Wiress, you _are_ being strong. You're watching our son. We are not giving up on him. We're being strong for him - please believe that, honey." Whispering reassurances as much to himself as to his wife, Beetee drifted into a fitful sleep where dreams of his children safe at home or at the Engineering Academy were a brief reprieve from his grief.

Mags woke the Teslas the next morning. Sitting on the side of the bed, she offered the couple a plate of muffins. "No - I'm not -" Wiress muttered. Humming sadly, Mags pressed a muffin into Wiress' palm.

"You need to eat for strength." Finnick said in the doorway.

"I'm - I -" Sitting up, Wiress sobbed as Mags rubbed her back. "You - understand." Gazing into sea-green eyes lined with sorrow, Wiress nodded and hugged the frail woman. Slowly, Wiress ate her muffin with Beetee following suit.

"Let's see what our boy has planned for today." Beetee said simply before he and his wife took their seats at their mentor station. Like his parents in their games, Noah found a routine and a way of going about life in the arena. Wiress smiled as Noah peered around a tree before squeezing himself between the tree and the bush.

"Oooh, I'm hiding behind a tree! I'm hiding behind a tree! So Panem doesn't see me pee!" Snorting down laughter, Beetee watched the screen switch to a map of the arena with dots indicating the locations of the other tributes. To his relief, Noah was at least a mile away from the nearest tribute.

"Himself." Wiress whispered smiling.

"He's staying himself, yes." Beetee chuckled watching his son attempt to climb a tree.

"Wooo hooo!" Noah cheered as he grasped a branch of a tree so he was hanging two feet off the air. He swung himself before anchoring his feet to the trunk of the tree. He climbed to a thick branch where he could look out at the arena. A nod indicated that the coast was clear before he swung from his branch making monkey noises before landing on his feet on the ground. Picking up his things, he made his way toward a small valley to make camp.

"Your boy plays around in there, huh." Wiress jumped at the observer's voice before staring into Seeder's eyes. "My Rue spends half her time in those trees. Kids will always be kids, ya know?"

"Yeah." Beetee agreed. "That's my boy."

"Sweet." Wiress added. Seeder nodded.

"I don't want my baby girl to kill anyone." Seeder sighed. "I know you don't want your boy to either." Sighing heavily, Wiress looked into Seeder's wise face.

"No - I want - If - he stays just like he is -" Wiress gulped before drawing a shaky breath. "If he can win without -"

"Direct kills." Beetee added. "Like my wife did so many years ago, that would be ideal." Seeder nodded.

"Today's Day Three." Seeder said quietly to the Teslas. "I know about the sponsor deal. Your boy can make it. He has both your smarts and determination.

"Thank you." Beetee whispered as his wife took Seeder's hands in hers and grasped them warmly. As he watched his son sleep, Beetee smiled knowing his son was doing better than anyone had expected.

"Stay." Wiress whispered as a flash of fear crossed her face after the national anthem played at sunset. Instincts from years of mentoring as well as her own maternal instincts told her to watch her son. "Beetee -" Reluctantly, Beetee switched his tablet to a map of the arena showing various pods. At eleven o'clock pm, one began blinking. "Our boy -" Wiress whispered as tears choked her words. Watching her son sleep peacefully, she willed him to move before he rolled over in his sleep.

"Oh - Oh Snow," Beetee gasped. "They're coming after him - they're coming after our boy."


	19. Chapter 19

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A terrified scream ripped through the mentor room as fire ripped through the arena. "MY BOY! MY BOY!" Beetee buried his face in his hands as the fire approached Noah's campsite.

"Move - MOVE!" Wiress wailed as Noah's eyes shot open. Not daring to breathe, Wiress watched as Noah gathered his belongings seconds before the fire engulfed his camp. Choking on smoke, Noah ran purely on adrenaline. He was five feet away from the flames when he stumbled over a rock.

"OW!" He gasped before a tongue of flame licked his shin. "OOOWW!" Gasping, Noah sat up and ran even as he sobbed in pain. Running toward some bushes, he ducked hoping the fire would jump around the brush. After a moment, he realized the fire wasn't coming any closer. Shakily, he stood up and watched as the wall of fire began to move slightly east.

"Not him - Not him -" Wiress gasped in relief as she realized her son was spared from the flames.

"No, he's safe. For now." Beetee stammered, pale faced and sweating from fear.

"Not targeted." Suddenly Wiress gasped and pointed at the main screen showing the Games as they were being broadcast live to the rest of Panem.

"They're not focusing on him, baby." Beetee murmured.

"Girl! Girl!" Wiress gasped as the fire approached Katniss Everdeen who was asleep near a pond. The girl was strong and determined much like her Estelle. Somehow, her feet found her way to the door of District 12's sleeping quarters. "GIRL! GIRL!" She screamed pounding on the door.

"WHAAT?" Haymitch growled from inside before Wiress used her hairpins to pick the lock.

"GIRL! FIRE! GIRL!" Through his drunken haze, he stared at the frantic inventor gesturing to the main screen where his tribute was running from the flames. Cursing loudly, Haymitch stumbled out of his room as Wiress returned to Beetee.

"Mama -" Noah whimpered looking at his blistering burn once he had settled his sleeping bag and belongings for the remainder of the night. "Dad -"

"Look up, buddy." Beetee whispered as he pressed an icon on his tablet that would send his son burn cream. He smiled as Noah's eyes widened as he took the parachute. Even as Noah rubbed the healing cream on his shin, Wiress continued whimpering as her large eyes stared resolutely at the main screen. Katniss Everdeen was still dodging fireballs before being overtaken by one launched at her leg. She quickly rolled to extinguish the flame and soaked her leg in a nearby pond.

"Smart girl. Smart Estelle. Smart girl - Estelle -" Closing her eyes, Wiress began whispering under her breath. "My girl - smart girl -"

"Baby," Beetee began holding his wife closely. "That's not Estelle."

"My Estelle -" Beetee's heart broke at his wife's insistent tone.

"She's not there, honey." Saying that made Beetee's voice crack. "She's -" Suddenly the gears clicked in Beetee's brain. "That Katniss reminds you of our Estelle, doesn't she?" Nodding slowly, Wiress relaxed in her husband's grasp knowing he understood her thoughts. They were jolted out of their thoughts when Beetee's tablet buzzed.

"Let's go." Beetee said quietly noting the email message was heavily encrypted. He was gripped by a mix of hope and fear knowing he and his wife were to meet Seneca Crane in fifteen minutes. The news would either give their son an advantage or be his death sentence.

Seneca stood in the corner of the noisy night club a block from the Training Center with a drink in his hand. The two inventors were overwhelmed by the changing lights in the ceiling tiles and on the dance floor as the bass from the dance music reverberated throughout the room. "Thank you for meeting here, Mr. and Mrs. Tesla." Seneca said quietly. "Your boy is no longer Snow's first priority. He is still a priority, but Snow is focused on the Everdeen girl. The way the district reacted when her sister was reaped -"

"Our district reacted -" Wiress pointed out.

"But not on live TV. We cut that on purpose." Seneca finished. The Teslas nodded. "The Careers, naturally, are focused on Everdeen due to her high training score."

"Will they leave our boy alone?" Beetee asked quietly. Seneca remained silent for a moment. "Please - our boy -"

"For now, the Capitol is focused on watching District Twelve in the games." Seneca said finally looking off so he wouldn't meet the gazes of the anxious parents in front of him.

"Thank you, sir." He and Wiress shook Seneca's hand before returning to the Training Center.

The next day, all the tributes woke up with some form of smoke inhalation from the night fire. Noah's constant coughing had lessened in intensity as the morning went on, but he had to stop every five minutes to stifle another coughing fit. "Hon, you checked his stats fifteen minutes ago." Beetee said gently as Wiress tapped Noah's vital signs icon once again and stared at the numbers as her forehead furrowed in worry.

"Yes, I know, Beetee, listen to him -" Wiress began listening to her son cough. "He can't run when -" He had progressed to being able to walk a few paces before doubling over coughing. He was searching for edible plants. Eyeing some leaves, he sniffed them before plucking them. Placing them in a small tin, he added some water and began a fire.

"If this can't help, can we -" Wiress began locking her worried eyes with Beetee's.

"We'll only give him medicine when he really needs it, Wiress." Beetee said calmly. Touching the screen, he identified the boiling leaves as mint leaves. "This should work. He's breathing in the steam, that's how you play it, son." He said gently watching Noah breathe in the steam and sigh with relief. "You're my smart boy."

"How long -" Wiress began.

"Wiress, I can judge when my son needs a gift!" Beetee snapped through gritted teeth. Seeing Wiress' large eyes water, he quickly pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry, baby, this hurts us both so much -" He murmured soothingly through his tears. "I'm waiting to give him something that will be a real advantage -"

"I know -" Wiress sobbed. "I - I want - home, Beetee -"

"In a little bit, honey. In a little bit, we'll be able to take him home."

* * *

A/N: So now the Tesla's story really begins to integrate with the rest of the 74th Hunger Games and the rest of the HG series. Hope you all are enjoying so far and yeah! Team Nerds!


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Updated 2/3/2014 with some edits

* * *

The next day, Noah was sniffly but he would take that over the hacking cough that plagued him after the fire. Waking up mid-day, he checked his campsite. Searching his traps, he found what appeared to be a skunk as well as another squirrel. As he began disassembling one trap so he could re-use it, another tribute poked out of the bushes. Gasping, Noah backed up and unsheathed his knife.

"Did you kill that?" The red-haired girl from Five asked. Nodding, Noah looked at the skunk. "Is this yours?" She asked as she held up a length of rope that was tied to the animal's ankle.

"Uhhuh." Noah muttered. "Um - where's your district partner?"

"He died in the bloodbath." Noah nodded then his eyes widened as he realized who the girl was.

"After he killed my sister -" The red-haired girl backed away.

"I - I'm just trying to find food." She stammered noticing the knife in Noah's hand.

" - Half." Noah said quickly. "Half this skunk." The two tributes cut the skunk loose from the trap and skinned it.

"There. Half." The girl nodded before hurrying away.

"Kid's too nice." Finnick muttered over Beetee's shoulder watching the exchange on Beetee's tablet. Ignoring the glare from Wiress, Finnick continued. "I know you don't want him to kill in there, but he needs some motivation to get home."

"Did I ask for your opinion?" Beetee growled.

"No, but I know you want your son to live." The sound of a chair tipping over jolted Finnick's gaze at Noah gathering leaves on the monitor on Beetee and Wiress' workstation.

"You don't -" Wiress hissed. "You don't have a child you raised in -"

"Nuts! Chill out!" Johanna called from her station. "Finnick really is trying to help!"

"So what?" Wiress yelled stamping her foot. "Send him a weapon or -"

"That's exactly what you should do." Haymitch said ambling over before taking a swig from an amber bottle. "At the right time, mind you. Give the kid a sign that he needs to change up his game to come home." Wiress' heavy breathing as she fought back sobs was the only sound in the mentor room.

"I will show them -" She whispered after a long moment. "That he can fight."

As night fell, Noah made a new camp nearer to the center of the arena. A rustling noise startled him before he saw a small figure climb a tree in the distance. Making out two figures making signs to each other in the trees, he realized the two were hatching a plan. Shortly after the national anthem played, he saw something fall to the ground from a tree that was very near the Careers' camp.

Dozing off and on during the night, Noah wondered what would happen once morning came. Shouts of pain from the Careers' camp startled him to full wakefulness. As he approached their camp, he saw them fighting off tracker-jackers.

"Hurry up!" Brutus screamed at Enobria as she tapped her tablet to send a canister of bug spray that would deflect the tracker-jackers as well as lessen the effects of their stings. As the parachute fell to the ground, it was snatched by a small hand before Noah fled from the scene before the tracker-jacker mutts came for him. "WHERE DID IT GO?" Brutus screamed.

"I believe our son knows the answer to that question." Beetee said smugly as Wiress smiled taking his hand under the table. As Noah ran, he sprayed himself with the bug spray to ward off the tracker jackers that would have otherwise followed him. Beetee laughed with relief knowing his son was safe from the mutts. Wiress smiled knowing Noah's actions put the Careers at a disadvantage. Their relief was broken by a scream of anger as Glimmer and the District Four girl fell to the ground succumbing to their stings followed closely by the District Two tributes falling to the ground twitching with some sort of seizure activity.

"DUDE!" Finnick yelped as Brutus sprang from his chair and ran toward the District Three workstation. Finnick had a split second to react as Brutus' fists flew through the air. "GET BACK!" He yelled knowing Brutus would have punched Beetee into a bloody pulp if given the chance.

"I'LL KILL YOU, THREE!" Brutus screamed in fury before howling and doubling over thanks to Chaff's swift kick to his crotch. The door to the mentor room burst open ending the commotion.

"Hey! I'll send in Peacekeepers to this room if you all don't sit back down!" Seneca Crane called into the mentor room. "Fight through your tributes, you all know that!"

"It's cool, man. We got it." Chaff called over Brutus' cursing and moaning as Gloss, Cashmere, and Enobria dragged him back to his workstation. "Brutus might want a doctor for his junk though."

"He's ok -" Wiress began watching Noah spray himself once more before closing the nozzle of the bug spray and placing it in his backpack. Taking Beetee's tablet, she scrolled down the list of gifts to send Noah a coil of wire and some more iodine tablets.

"Thanks, mom and dad!" Noah called as he set up several traps in case the Careers that made it through the tracker-jacker swarm headed his way. After determining the coast was clear, Noah sat down and tried to see how many nuts from a trail-mix pack he could catch in his mouth. "Ten for me!" He cheered as his parents chuckled.

Much to Beetee and Wiress' relief, The Capitol was entertained by the Careers and Katniss Everdeen recovering from the tracker-jacker venom for the remainder of the day and the next day. The mentors were impressed by Katniss' determination to steal Glimmer's bow and arrows even as the venom was taking over.

On the second day after Katniss set the mutts on the Careers, Noah woke up very close to the Careers' camp. Tiptoeing toward Cato, the large District Two boy, Noah unraveled a spool of wire. "Stay asleep - stay asleep -" Noah murmured a second before Cato opened his eyes and jumped at Noah pinning him to the ground

"What are you doing?" Cato growled.

"Traps!" Noah gasped as Cato pressed on his airway. "I'm - making - a trap -"

"Who's there?" Another voice asked.

"Shut up, Loverboy!" Cato growled. "Little victors' kid trying to kill us all like his daddy did!"

"Wait - I don't even have a battery!" Noah gasped. "I was trying to do it for you!"

"Like hell you were!" The voice of Cato's district partner growled.

"I was!" Looking toward the Cornocupia, Noah forced Cato's hand off of himself and sat up. "Mom and Dad taught me how to make a trap from the mines. Around the Cornucopia."

"That's the sign! That's it - send something!" Wiress breathed gripping her husband's shoulders as she peered at his tablet.

"OW! Wiress - quit - my shoulders - I'll send it!" Beetee gasped sending Noah a toolkit that cost half of Noah and Estelle's sponsor money. Reaching his hands back, he gripped Wiress' hands as they waited.

"See?" Noah asked opening his toolkit. "You all are still sick - sorta - so - yeah."

"How exactly will you do that?" 'Loverboy' the District Twelve tribute asked.

"Um - well, we can booby-trap the food." Noah explained before Clove snorted.

"Except, we want to eat it."

"Well, we can make a maze so if someone tries to steal it, they get trapped." The Careers were silent. "Mom and Dad said it worked. And they got out of the arena."

"Ok, kid." Cato said before grabbing Noah by the shoulders and snarling into his face. "But remember this, one move, and you're dead!"


	21. Chapter 21

"Ok, everyone, line up and hop from X to X." Noah directed. Resisting the urge to laugh at Cato who nearly face-planted on the hard dirt around the cornucopia, he adjusted his markings so everyone in the Career pack could jump on the marks.

"I assume we passed." Peeta said smiling at Noah as he hopped to the last X.

"Yeah, Peeta. 100%." Noah quipped as Peeta laughed. During the course of the exercise, Noah called each tribute by name even though the Careers simply referred to him as "Three."

"Don't get too friendly over there, loverboy!" Cato snarled.

"Three, put the food away!" Clove hissed waving one of her many sharp knives in Noah's face.

"Ok. And I'm going to work on the mines, so everyone take what you need for the afternoon." Noah ignored Cato's glare choosing not to rub in the fierce boy's face that he was taking orders from a scrawny 13 year old inventor.

"That's my boy! Look!" Beetee called proudly to the mentor room as the main screen flashed to the cornucopia where Noah was working on the mines. "That's my boy!" Chaff nodded and walked over to the wall, pushing a button on a panel that amplified the commentary.

"And Noah Tesla is working on a trap of some sort - takes after his parents after all." Claudius Templesmith commmented.

"This is a very rare moment - a District Three tribute joining an established Career Pack." Caesar Flickerman added. "I guess Noah is quite skilled at electronics as he's working with all those wires."

"Actually, it's explosives and small mechanical components -" Wiress began before Beetee wrapped an arm around her. "My son - my beautiful smart son - come home, baby, please -"

Noah paused to wipe his brow after heaving a large bag of apples to the top of a pile before gingerly placing loops of mines in strategic places on the food pile. He shrugged looking at the Careers lazily sprawled in the grass chatting and rubbing healing cream on their stings. As soon as they woke, they had received several large bags full of creams and antidotes to speed their recovery. Of course, they had also received a shipment of food which was now in the supply pile. "Don't even!" Cato growled as Noah longingly picked up a plastic bottle full of fresh purified water.

"I know." Noah called. He pulled off his jacket and aired out his shirt. Not being able to resist, he made farting noises with his hand in his armpit as he surveyed his pile.

"Buddy, cut that out, you're on TV." Beetee admonished even as a smile played on his lips. As night fell, Noah completed the pile.

"Well, the fire's ready." Peeta called. Noah eagerly hopped over to a small loaf of bread before Marvel snatched it away.

"Hey Noah, we have to wait until they're done, ok?" Peeta called. "Come sit here, man. You worked really hard today."

"Thanks." Noah said plopping down on a log by Peeta. "Mom and Dad saw me." Grinning, he waved at the sky.

"So proud - my boy - good job -" Wiress called blowing a kiss at the main screen..

"Nice work, son." Beetee's heart swelled with warmth watching Noah and Peeta talking.

"Do your parents help you with school projects?" Noah asked as Cato and Clove fought over a large pork drumstick that was roasting over the fire.

"Not really." Peeta replied. "They're busy running a bakery and well - we don't have cooking class at school."

"Well, I'm in the Engineering Academy where Mom and Dad went. So, when Stelle and I finish with our homework, we can go downstairs and work with Mom and Dad in the workshop -" Sniffling, Noah wiped his eyes on his jacket sleeve.

"Oh, buddy," Beetee whispered sadly watching his son's large eyes tear up.

"I'm sorry about your sister." Peeta replied automatically.

"I wanna go home, but - it won't be the same wiithout her." Peeta nodded.

"I have two brothers and they both can be jerks, but I love them. Ya know?"

"Jerks?" Noah asked. "Because they tease you?"

"Yeah. Once Rye had the brilliant idea to put cayenne pepper in my jock strap before wrestling practice one day -" Peeta began before blushing.

"EW!" Noah yelped. "Dad showed me those in the apartment at the Training Center because he made me wear one during training! That's - That would hurt _soooo baaaaad_!"

"Right?" Peeta asked as the two boys laughed.

"So, what did you do?" Noah asked grinning. "I mean, for revenge?"

"Let's just say when he unpacked his lunch next to a girl he liked, he found a loaf of bread shaped - especially for him." Noah nearly fell off the log laughing.

"Hey! Cut the racket over there!" Cato growled as he devoured his food.

"Guess we can eat now." Peeta said. "What did you bring?"

"A backpack of stuff." Noah and Peeta sorted through their supplies and each had a few crackers and some edible roots. Peeta gave Noah a small piece of beef jerky. "Mm - meat."

"Keep watch." Clove directed before she and Cato took off.

"I'll stay up for half the night, you stay up for the other half?" Peeta asked.

"You sure?" Noah asked as they unrolled their sleeping bags.

"Dude, you built that trap." Noah grinned.

"We'll spit on it." Beetee chuckled and shook his head grateful that Panem was watching Katniss and Rue's alliance on the main screen.

"Noah Terrimax -" Wiress scolded thinking the sixteen year old from Twelve had outgrown this middle-school ritual. However, she smiled as the two boys shook hands solemnly.

"Go to sleep, kid." Peeta said as Noah yawned in his sleeping bag.

Noah recited pi to himself as he scanned the surrounding area. Suddenly bushes rustled near him. Gasping, he unsheathed his knife and readied a light metal spear Marvel had lent him for the watch. The girl from Five peered out like a fox as she eyed the pile of food. Tiptoeing to her, Noah shook his head.

"I know it's booby-trapped." She whispered. "I watched you make it."

"Oh -" Noah gulped and gripped his knife. "Well - go away." Hands trembling, he grasped his spear with both hands. Her fear was mirrored in his large eyes. "Why - why are you this close anyway?"

"Look -" The girl rolled up her left pant-leg revealing a large scrape on her knee crudely bandaged with cloth from her shirt and long blades of grass. "It's swelling."

"Oh -" Noah paused before hopping to the medicine pile. Carefully, he dabbed some antiseptic ointment on his hands. "Here - " Taking her hands, he transferred the glob of ointment. "Now you _really_ have to go away." He urged staring fearfully at the sleeping bags where the Careers slept. Nodding, the girl scampered away.

Biting his lip, Beetee allowed the tears to fall from his face as he watched Noah return to the log where he watched for other tributes. "He can't -" Wiress whispered, her voice wavering.

"He can't kill, baby." Beetee choked out. "My sweet boy - our sweet precious boy - he won't hurt anyone in there."

"I know - but - home -" Wiress pleaded looking at her son on Beetee's screen as her heart ached to hold him.

"I don't know." Beetee's voice cracked as his wife leaned against him crying silently.

The next day, Noah woke to Cato yelling at Marvel, Peeta, and Clove. "GET YOUR ASSES UP! WE GOT SOME TRIBUTES TO KILL!" Stomping over to Noah's sleeping bag, Cato kicked it roughly. "Engineer runt, get breakfast! Let's go!" Groaning, Noah hurried over to the smoldering embers and began a fire before roasting some meat. As the Careers ate, they argued over where to go and what weapons to bring.

"Well, you all could start there." Peeta remarked seeing a plume of grey smoke rise into the air.

"It's not Katniss!" Clove hissed. "Don't fool with us, you know she wouldn't build a fire all of Panem could see!" Her hand twitched in her pocket as she gripped one of her throwing knives.

"No, but - Katniss might be following said tribute." Peeta began before hopping through the maze of mines to grab some water. A gasp caused him to nearly fall over. "What's up, bud?"

"I thought you - I thought -" Peeta stared into large eyes reflecting shock. "You like her though -"

"Yeah, I'm trying to see where she is - to head her off. Don't tell anyone, ok?" Peeta asked in a low voice. "No - we don't have to spit on it, kiddo!" He added quickly seeing Noah working up some spit.

"Ok." Noah replied in a quiet voice before examining the pile.

"Hey! There's another fire! They're getting careless!" Clove cheered. "C'mon! I wanna knife some tributes!" Laughing and cheering, the Careers began gathering their weapons.

"See you later, kid. You're watching the camp?" Noah nodded.

"See you later, Peeta." Noah said gathering some spears Marvel hadn't grabbed.

"Noah -" Peeta paused. "I bet your parents are really proud of you." He received a large genuine grin in reply before he headed off after the Careers.

Humming to himself, Noah tightened some knots in the wires of his trap and counted the pile. Squinting, he stared at the medicine pile. "Aw man, she'd better not come back again." He grumbled knowing the girl he saw during the night had picked from their pile during breakfast. Sitting on a crate, he began sharpening Marvel's spears. Out of boredom, he began etching a simple electric circuit design into the handle of one of them.

Suddenly he saw a figure emerge from the forest. Gripping Marvel's spear, he stood on a crate to look menacing. "HEY! GO AWAY!" He yelled before gasping as Katniss Everdeen loaded an arrow in to her bow. Thinking fast, Noah grabbed a metal canteen to use as a shield. As she released the arrow, he threw the spear toward her but whirled around as an arrow soared over his head. As if in slow motion, he watched as it pierced the bag of apples detonating the mines in a perfect cascade.

"MOVE, NOAH TERRIMAX, MOVE, RUN!" Beetee screamed as Noah gaped at the aftermath of the explosion. "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, MY BOY, PLEASE! RUN!" Wiress' eyes were wide with fear as she saw the Careers approach the wreckage.

"I don't see any mines anywhere!" Noah called running toward Cato who stared at the pile stunned. "They were all detonated!"

"YOU SAID IT WOULD WORK!" Cato screamed furiously staring at the remains of the Careers' food and all their supplies.

"It did. Katniss shot an arrow into the supplies and detonated everything." Noah explained. "I can see if I can rebuild some of it for you." Lunging toward Noah, Cato wrapped his arm under Noah's chin and dug his meaty fingers into Noah's thick black hair.

"I'm done with you, Three!" Cato hissed before screaming in fury. Noah closed his eyes and remained stoic even as Cato's arms wrapped around his neck. With one twist of his torso, Cato snapped Wiress' and Beetee's hearts into a million pieces.


	22. Chapter 22

A scream of grief tore through the mentor room as Noah's limp form fell to the ground of the arena. "NOAH! NOOO!" Somehow, Beetee's feet carried him to the large viewing screen at the front of the room. "NOAH! GET UP, PLEASE - PLEEEASE, NOAH - MY SON! MY SON! GET UP!" Pressing his hands against the glass of the screen, Beetee sobbed as his fingers ached to touch his son. "NO! NOOOO!" Helplessly, he watched as a hovercraft appeared and carried his son away from the wreckage of his trap.

"Back - Noah - come back -" Wiress gasped before Beetee's screen went dark at their station. "Mama will come -" Darting out of the room, Wiress pounded on the door of the Gamemaker's control room.

"Victor Carpenter?" Plutarch Heavensbee asked staring into the inventor's large eyes.

"When - Noah -"

"I'm sorry -" The senior gamemaker was unable to return her gaze.

"Noah - bring him back - training center -" Wiress stammered still in a daze.

"You can't see them until after the Games, baby." Wiress turned as she felt a warm hand on her shoulders. Seeder blinked back tears as she met Wiress' eyes. "They fix him up after the Games are over." Shaking her head, Wiress stepped into the Gamemaker room.

"Yes, Wiress?" Seneca Crane asked as turned around surprised she had left the Mentor room. Approaching the table projecting a digitized map of the arena, Wiress's large eyes rested on him without really focusing on him.

"My Noah." She said simply.

"WIRESS! WIRESS! NOOOOOOO!" Beetee fought with three Peacekeepers who were struggling to hold him back at the door of the Gamemaker control room. "THEY TOOK HIM AWAY! THEY TOOK OUR SON! THEY TOOK HIM!"

"Back." Wiress said simply to Beetee. "Our son. Returning."

"No - No - They killed him, Wiress- they killed - THEY KILLED OUR SON!" Staring at the map of the arena, Wiress approached a keyboard built into the table. A Gamemaker reached for her hand before Seneca shook his head.

"Let her -" Seneca whispered. Tapping on the keys, Wiress brought up a map of all the tributes' locations within the arena. She instructed the program to display their positions over the last five minutes.

"My son, Seneca." Wiress insisted staring hard into the Head Gamemaker's face.

"The hovercraft took him two minutes ago." Seneca replied. "He's been eliminated from the Games." Fighting to keep his voice steady, Seneca took a deep breath. "Mrs. Tesla, your son was killed in the arena."

"Oh - baby -" Seeder gasped as Wiress crumpled to the floor sobbing. "C'mon, sweet girl, let's go." Carrying Wiress, she hurried out of the Gamemaker room with Beetee in tow.

"My wife - I need - let me hold -" Beetee gasped as the doors closed. Taking the sobbing bundle from Seeder's hands, they hurried back to the mentor room.

"Why did you come back, Three? Snow took your children. What will you do?" Brutus asked smugly. This time, no one held Beetee back before he began throwing punches at Brutus' hard face.

"No - NO! DAMN YOU!" Beetee screamed before feeling a satisfying snap of Brutus' nose. Gasping, he watched Brutus' blood drip from his fingers.

"Gone." Wiress sobbed tugging on Beetee's sleeve before leading him to their darkened station. "Gone - Beetee - gone -"

"I don't know - I don't know what we'll do - " Beetee sobbed. "Our Noah, Our Estelle - our everything, Wiress, Our beautiful children -"

"Hey." Finnick said quietly as he and Mags approached the two inventors clinging to each other in their grief. "Mags insists you two get out of here." Slowly, Mags reached for Wiress' hand. "Go upstairs and rest. Nana, what are you doing - oh -" Finnick said nothing as Mags prodded Beetee. Tears poured freely down her face as she took their hands in hers and escorted them to the elevator.

"We're home!" Beetee called automatically as the elevators to the District Three suite closed. "Kids?" Going to the dining room table, he expected to see their notebooks or stray pieces of paper with sketches. The kitchen was too clean without remnants of crumbs leading from a cookie or candy jar. "It's way too quiet in here!" He called before wandering down the hallway.

"Stelle - no napping until after homework -" Wiress began opening her daughter's door. "Oh -" She gasped as the figure changing the sheets on the bed jumped in fright. "Gearton -" She gasped. "Oh -" Blinking back tears, Gearton finished making the bed and left the room as Beetee came in.

"The kids should be home from training -"

"No -" Wiress's voice broke before she knelt on the floor and cradled a bright orange glittery pillow. "No training, Beetee - Gone -"

"Yeah, Noah's room is way too clean -" In an instant, Beetee joined his wife on the floor as he held her close. The sun had been down for several hours before the two made their way out of Estelle's room.

"They stayed here -" Wiress whispered looking at the large bed that was way too big for the family of two.

"I know." Beetee whispered. Holding each other, they sobbed as they remembered their children. The sun rose accentuating the dark circles under both their eyes. "Wire - I - I don't know what to do."

"Fight." Wiress whispered looking around the room where Estelle would have been telling Noah off for belching or farting as he woke up. "For our children. For their memory." Beetee nodded. "It's the only -"

"It's the only thing we can do." Beetee finished knowing his wife was right and that she would not give up until the cruel government that took their children was overthrown. For good.


End file.
